Changing My Course
by twilover76
Summary: Sparks fly when two strangers collide in the dark. Will Edward star in Bella's future, or will the politics of her life be too much for him to handle? AH/M
1. Chapter 1 The Meeting

**This was written as a birthday surprise for Nicffwhisperer. I love you to pieces, Nic, and I hope you enjoy the beginning to this new little fic. Happiest of happy birthdays to you! **

**Thanks to SusanQ, VampiresHaveLaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Meeting**

"_No!_ Don't let that door close!"

Whoever it was must have been startled by my shrieking, because he fumbled around like an idiot, the door slamming shut behind him. I released a gust of air, both from frustration and panic. I'd been stuck in this storage closet for a little while now, and he'd ruined my chance of escape.

But now, no longer was I just trapped... I was trapped with some stranger.

In pitch black darkness.

"Um... sorry. I didn't catch it in time."

He was close. Too close. There wasn't a lot of space in here, and now I had to share. It seemed like the walls were collapsing in on me, and I concentrated on my breathing.

And on feeling around for a possible weapon in my purse.

Cash? Tissues? Lipstick?

No. No. No.

Could I knock him out by bashing him over the head with a tin of Altoids?

Not likely.

_Damn._

I had the worst luck ever.

This was supposed to be a fun night of post-graduation celebration. A time for my normally-reserved self to let loose a little and have a good time—or as Rose put it, _for my uptight ass to get wasted and party_. We were supposed to be drinking and dancing at a new club in Manhattan; instead I had wandered into some remote closet I'd mistakenly thought was a bathroom.

Who the hell has rooms that lock from the outside, and why couldn't I find a light switch?

"Are you okay?"

He had a nice voice, but he was _right there_. In my personal space.

I backed away as far away as I could, until some shelves were biting into my body from behind, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. My adrenaline was pumping as I tried to remember to breathe.

He could be a serial killer. Or a rapist.

Or worse... a _Republican_.

Like I didn't have enough of _those_ in my life already.

I reached for my phone again. Still no signal.

_Fuck my life._

"Hey, calm down," he said, his voice soft. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Famous last words. That's exactly what the villain would have said in a horror movie. Even my death was going to be lame, like Drew Barrymore in Scream. I would be easy pickings, and my part in this show would only be a brief cameo.

"My name's Edward," he continued, obviously aware I was close to hyperventilating.

_Edward?_

Were there _any_ criminals named Edward?

"What's _your_ name?" He was trying to make me more comfortable, and it helped.

A little.

"Isabella...er...Bella." I managed to get it out between gulps for air.

"Nice to meet you, Bella." He cleared his throat and let out a chuckle. "Although not really in the best of circumstances."

There was something about his voice. Something I couldn't quite pinpoint, but almost recognizable.

Was it possible I knew him or had met him before?

I racked my brain for any Edwards in my past, and stared at the vague silhouette of his body. My eyes had become accustomed to the dark, but I still couldn't see him.

"Your... your voice sounds f-familiar," I stammered.

He snorted. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

The sounds of his feet shuffling made me gulp again. _Was he coming closer?_

"You don't have to be scared. I'm sure we'll be found soon enough."

Easy for him to say.

But that reminded me. Where the hell was Rose and why wasn't she screaming in the halls looking for me?

She was probably sucking face with some male model in a corner.

I let out a hysterical laugh, thinking about the secondary purpose of our evening out. She'd wanted me to get out of my comfort zone and hook up with some "hottie". Put a little flavor into my bland—and about to get blander—life.

How ironic was it that I was locked in the dark with a random stranger, but was in desperate need of a paper bag to breathe into?

It was like a demented form of Seven Minutes in Heaven, involving adults and liquor. Thank God for those two vodka gimlets earlier, or I likely would have already passed out from my panic.

It was clear I just wasn't cut out for the party lifestyle.

"Can I try something?" he asked. "I promise I mean you no harm. I used to have anxiety attacks as a kid, and my mom would help me through them."

That was sweet. He mentioned his mom and wanted to help. It almost convinced me he wasn't a murderer.

Or maybe he was just trying to lull me into complacency before he strangled me.

_What in the world could he want to try?_

I was wary, but also tired, shaky, and achy from my body being so tense. I took a leap of faith and decided to trust him before I had a heart attack.

"Uh... okay."

"I'm coming closer," he said, my body bracing. "I just wanted to warn you. All I want to do is help."

He moved slowly, eventually standing right in front of me, our bodies inches apart. It was so odd. I should have been scared out of my wits from agreeing to his advance, but the closer he got, the calmer I seemed to be.

"I'm going to touch you. I promise I won't hurt you."

I listened to him telling me exactly what he was doing, and his voice was very soothing, but I was focusing more on the other sensations flowing through me. His touch, his smell... everything about him was rather comforting.

I felt safe. Secure.

_How was that possible?_

He pulled me against him, my head resting under his chin.

"Feel my breathing and try to time yours with mine," he said, his hands lightly stroking my back. "In and out. That's it."

He kept telling me over and over to breathe with him, but it was his touch that most distracted me from my claustrophobic fear. Each time his hands moved up and down my back, my skin broke out into a new round of goose bumps.

The good kind.

It was easy to forget my fear when the other feeling was so overwhelming. In fact, within minutes I was breathing fine and mostly relaxed.

_Maybe he had some kind of gift?_

"It worked, didn't it?" he asked eventually, keeping me locked against him.

Strangely, I didn't feel trapped in his arms. I wanted to stay there.

"Yes. Thank you."

We both fell silent, although he made no move to back away from me. I was simultaneously happy and curious as to why.

"Did you think this was a bathroom too?"

He laughed. "Well, they didn't mark it very well out there. But I was more looking for a quiet place to escape for a few minutes."

_Escape?_

"Too loud for you out there?"

"Something like that."

_Hmm... interesting._

"Sorry I disturbed your quiet time. I'm sure the last thing you wanted to do was calm down some stranger."

His hands slid down my back again, sending a shiver along my spine. "Nah, it was nice actually. I mean... nice for _me_, I guess."

"Nice for _you_?" I didn't understand what he meant.

"Well..." He paused for a long time, and I began to wonder if he was regretting his _nice_ comment. "I just meant that it's not often _I _get to take care of anybody else. It was nice. _Especially_ considering you don't know who I am."

I thought over his words, even more confused than before. But I didn't want to be pushy, so I let it drop.

"I'm surprised nobody's found us yet. I hope Rose is okay."

"I'm sure the troops will swoop in soon." He sounded almost disappointed, before changing the subject. "So Rose is who you came with tonight?"

"Yeah. She's my best friend. We were out celebrating because we graduated from Columbia today."

He squeezed me. "Congratulations. That's great."

"Thanks." I tried not to think about how good it felt to be in his arms, knowing it would just lead to disappointment. "So... um, do you go to school around here?"

_Please don't let him be a 40-year-old creeper._

"No. I never went to college."

I tried not to be disappointed, but I kind of was. Not for any specific reason, but my mind immediately conjured images of him working at a gas station or a vending stand.

_Glamorous._

I reminded myself it didn't matter anyway, and I shouldn't be such a bitchy snob. He'd been a completely nice guy, and it wasn't like I would ever see him again. As soon as I got out of this damn closet, I was grabbing Rose and going home. But in the meantime, I felt the need to make some sort of conversation while we waited for our rescue.

Plus, it felt great to still be pressed against him.

"So, no college. What _do_ you do?"

He didn't say anything, his arms around me slackening their grip. I didn't like that at all. I was about to change the subject when he finally answered.

"I'm in the... uh, entertainment business."

_Stripper? Male escort? Rent-a-clown?_

I really hoped it wasn't the clown option. There was nothing scarier than a clown.

Just as I was about to probe further, he redirected the conversation.

"What did you major in?" He squeezed me again, making me forget my mission.

"I actually double majored... cinema and business."

He let out a gust of air. "_Of course_."

"What does _that _mean?"

_Did he have something against those fields? _

"Nothing." He shifted his weight, his breath in my hair. "What are you planning to do now?"

I let out a heavy sigh. "I have a job waiting for me in Boston at my uncle's advertising firm."

"You don't sound very excited about it."

I wasn't. I didn't like the fact my parents had my whole life planned out for me... including the man I was expected to marry. The job wasn't the real reason I was moving to another city, it was simply the cover until I said my 'I do'.

James Preston Hearst III was everything a girl was supposed to want in a husband, at least according to my mother. Rich, successful, impeccable manners, and from the _right_ family with the _right_ connections. If there was such a thing as betrothal in the twenty-first century, then our relationship would fall under that category. We had been pushed together by our families since our early teens.

He was waiting for me in Boston. Waiting for me to accept his ring. Waiting for me to show a sliver of excitement.

But I had none_._ _Nothing_. Sure he was nice, but there was no zing. I felt nothing more for him than I did any of my acquaintances.

I wagered he and every member of our respective families would fall over and die of shock if they knew I was currently snuggled up next to some stranger.

I smiled at that thought.

"It's a long story," I told him, inhaling a few more times and enjoying the hints of soap, smoke, and some other unnamable scent. Maybe it was just him. "You smell good."

My cheeks burned from my jabbered confession, and I was glad for the lack of light. I was cringing from embarrassment when his voice rasped close to my ear.

"So do you."

You know that moment on a roller coaster ride, just as you're about to descend down a sharp hill? That's what my stomach felt like when he uttered those words.

I was literally tingling from head to foot, and I couldn't attribute it to lack of oxygen from my almost panic attack any longer.

It was _him_.

A thousand butterflies flew in my stomach, and I became hyperaware of what was happening.

I was attracted to this man.

But how could that be?

I'd never even seen his face. I didn't know him at all. He was a complete stranger, even if he had been nice enough to keep me from breaking down completely.

And perhaps that was part of what made him enticing. The _not knowing_.

It was foreign. Not planned, but instinctual. Sort of forbidden—even slightly dangerous—and completely out of my realm of experience.

Maybe that was what I needed.

Rose had told me to live a little. Break up the monotony before I left New York and went along with my planned-out, boring future.

I probably wouldn't come across a better chance than this to do something crazy and reckless.

So in a bold move, beyond uncharacteristic for me, I slid my hand up his chest and tilted my face up to align with his. The room was quiet, like a stillness before a storm, but the faint echoes and bass thumps from the music playing on the dance floor of the club made the setting somewhat erotic.

I took one more deep breath, and before I could talk myself out of it, I rose up on my toes and kissed him.

His body tensed, his lips unmoving and his arms tightening slightly around me.

Was it from surprise? Shock? Disinterest?

I felt like a fool, and started to pull away. But whatever the reason for his hesitation, it didn't last any longer. Just as I was about to ramble some apology for being too forward, he leaned in and started kissing me back.

His lips were soft, his kisses gentle. But it was the most exciting thing I'd ever felt as my heart pounded in my chest. He pulled my bottom lip between his, sucking slightly, and I felt almost light-headed.

When his tongue soon joined in, begging permission, I opened my mouth to let him in. He tasted even better than he smelled, and my knees wobbled as our kisses deepened.

My hands roamed his chest and shoulders. He was tall, lean, muscular—but not too muscular. The perfect masculine physique. At least perfect in my mind from what I was able to touch at this point.

I wondered if the package would be as appealing with the lights turned on.

He suddenly pulled away, alarming me as the sounds of our heavy breathing filled the air.

"Why did you kiss me?"

_What kind of question was that?_

I huffed. "Why did you kiss me back?"

"I don't know." He made some sort of grunt and removed his hands from my back. "It felt good at the time."

"And it doesn't _now_?"

"No. I mean, yes. I don't know." He paused, backing away from me. "Why did you do it?"

I wasn't sure how to answer him, because I didn't even really know why.

"I guess because I wanted to try something different."

"So you don't make a habit of kissing strangers?"

"_No_. Quite the opposite actually. I've only kissed _one_ guy... well now two, I guess."

_Oh. My. God._

Why did I tell him that?

Before I could drown in my humiliation, his arms were around me again.

"_Really?_" His voice was low. Seductive. I was woozy again. "And I just happened to be the lucky number two because we landed in here together?"

"It wasn't only that. I don't know. You were nice. And it felt good."

"Yes it did."

His lips were back on mine, much more insistent than before. I gave into the feeling again, allowing myself the thrill of getting lost in this enigmatic stranger. This man who made my insides twist and my blood race like nobody ever had before.

I threaded my fingers around his neck to keep him close, a moan of pleasure escaping me as our tongues moved together. He answered with a groan of his own, pressing me back into the shelves again. I barely noticed the pain since his hands had begun boldly exploring.

My waist, my hips, my ass. They were everywhere.

What had started as relatively innocent kissing had become a full-fledged fondling and make out session.

"_Fuck_," he gasped, tearing his lips from mine to nip along my neck.

I was ready to rip his clothes off when his teeth scraped across my skin. Instead I was panting and heaving, urging him for more.

His fingers dug into my hips. "Here," he said, moving us past the shelves.

I felt a table or a desk behind me, and he grabbed my thighs, lifting and placing me on top. He spread my legs apart, stepping right between, not quite so hampered by the height difference when his mouth was on mine again.

With our bodies pressed tight, rubbing and grinding against each other, I could feel _everything_.

And_ holy shit_.

"You're so _big_," I blurted out, immediately wanting to kill myself for my verbal vomit. I couldn't help it though. Sure, I only had James' tiny parts to compare it to, but if dicks were populations, Edward's would be China.

And that was with it still contained inside his jeans.

He stopped his kisses, a slight chuckle leaving his mouth. His hands slid from my knees, up my thighs, under my skirt, and back to grip my butt, pressing himself against me even harder, every inch of my skin prickling from his touch.

"You like that?" His lips trailed along my jawline, finally landing next my ear. "Have you only had one of _these_ before too?"

I swallowed thickly, trying to squash the way his voice made me tremble. "Yeah. Well, kind of. I think so."

I was such a moron, and I couldn't stop my bumbling.

"What do you mean you _think so_?"

James and I had messed around a few times, mostly when I got bored from his conversations, but both times we'd had sex, I hadn't been sure if we'd ever had it or not. He'd seemed happy afterward, but I never felt much during the few seconds he'd been pushing around down there.

Rose had laughed until she cried when I told her afterward and promptly went out and bought me a variety of toys to keep myself satisfied.

I was partial to the Rabbit.

"_Bella?_" he prodded again.

"I just..." I was flustered both from the topic and from his breath fanning over my skin. "I've been with someone. It just happened really fast and... ugh... I don't know. It was sex. I'm pretty sure it was."

His laughter rang out, echoing in the room, and I pushed him away to fold my arms over my chest.

_Asshole_.

"Sorry, sorry," he managed to say, trying to contain his chuckles. He rubbed my arms, finally calming down after a few minutes, and coaxed his way into pulling me close to him again. "I wasn't laughing at _you_. I was laughing at the moron you slept with."

I couldn't really blame him. Rose had laughed even harder than he had. It was the looming dread of basically being forced to have a life with James—a man whose prowess was obviously comedy material—that made me sick to my stomach.

When I remained silent, he leaned back in close enough for me to feel his breath on my lips.

"I think you need to know how it's done right." He kissed me hard. "Do you want me to show you?"

Against all rational thought, all logic, all convention, all sense of self-preservation... I did.

I _did_ want him to show me.

I wanted him to tear off my clothes. Take me hard. Make me scream.

Change my course.

Maybe that's what I was really looking for. Something—or _someone_—to disrupt this track my life was set on.

Instead of speaking, I gripped his hair and kissed him back, wrapping my legs around him in invitation. It was a frenzy of groping hands, wet kisses, and panted curses.

There was no doubt in my mind we would have been naked in seconds, if not for the most unfortunate interruption by two loud voices.

"Edward!"

"Get out of my way, you buffoon! _Bella_? Are you down here?"

Edward and I both groaned. We'd been found, and neither of us was very happy about it. A pounding on the door forced us to separate and try to fix our clothes.

"I'm in here, Em. Give me a second." Edward pulled me off the table, his hands remaining on my waist. "Bella. Something's about to happen when that door opens. I just want to tell you now that no matter what, I meant everything I said and did in here. This was all me. The _real_ me."

"_What_? What does that mean?"

Before he could answer, someone pushed the door open. Edward let me go, and I blinked against the harshness of the light pouring in from the hallway. The outline of a hulking figure took up most of the doorway, but Rose was trying to bust her way in by elbowing the giant in the gut.

"Bella? Let me by, you horse's ass!"

"Bro, we have to bolt. The paps know you're here and there are fangirls lining the halls."

Both Rose and this 'Em' person were talking over each other, and I was more confused than ever. Rose finally squeezed her way inside, and my eyes had adjusted enough to find her standing there gaping at me.

"Holy fucking shit!" Her gaze darted from me to Edward, and back again.

I shook my head.

_What was her problem? _

So what if I was behaving in a very non-Isabella way? She's the one who told me to have a good time.

I turned toward Edward, both nervous and excited to see the face of the man I'd been molesting moments earlier. And every drop of blood drained from my body.

It was Edward Cullen.

Edward _Cullen_.

The boy-king of Hollywood. The biggest star around.

He stood there, watching me with a half-grin and shrugged.

I was frozen. I couldn't form words. I didn't even know where to start.

"I knew you were going to be gorgeous," he said, making his way back to me and grabbing one of my hands. "Let's go. You're coming with me."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Em asked. "We have to sneak out of here. Jane will kick your ass if you get caught papped with her."

Edward turned from me to Em. "I don't give a fuck. She's coming. And bring _her_ too," he said, motioning in Rose's direction, who seemed to still be as stunned as I was.

"Jesus fucking Christ." Em shook his head, took Rose's elbow, and started leading the way out the door.

I knew I should have said something. Done something. Made some kind of remark. But I still didn't have any words. My mind was busy replaying the immense dialogue of mortifying things I'd said and revealed to Mr. Superstar in the dark.

We were almost out the door, when Edward put his arm around my waist and leaned down to murmur in my ear.

"By the way, when _I_ fuck you... you'll have no doubt about it."

_I was in so much trouble. _

* * *

**AN: I hope you all enjoyed the start of this new story. **

**Once again, happy birthday to Nic. You are one of the best friends I have in this fandom. **

**As soon as I finish up a couple things on my other WIPs, I will return to this story. **


	2. Chapter 2 The Indecision

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, Iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Indecision**

"Put these on and keep your head down. Whatever happens, don't look up and don't say a word."

Edward handed me a pair of sunglasses and kept a tight grip around me as we were about to walk out the back door. I slipped the glasses on, my nerves running rampant from the group of large, muscled bodies suddenly surrounding us.

Where did they come from? Who were they? Were we going to war?

I kept the questions to myself and did as I was told. Went along with the flow. Just as I had all my life.

And it wasn't as if I was new to the fame game. My father _was_ Senator Swan after all. I'd lived all my life in wealth and privilege, where image was the top priority.

But nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.

Blinding lights flashed from every angle, while I was herded, pushed, and pulled to a waiting SUV. That was bad enough, but it was the screaming, the taunting, the slurs and accusations that really threw me for a loop.

"_Who's that?"_

"_Who is she, Edward?_

"_Are you cheating on Kate?"_

"_Edward! Edward!"_

"_Who's the slut? What's her name?"_

_Slut, whore, bitch_... a barrage of names were thrown at me—at Edward—in attempt to provoke some kind of response. I tried to block it out, holding on to his hand for dear life, but wasn't surprised to hear Rose screaming back at the harrassment.

Em had to practically tackle her and throw her into the car before Edward and I followed. I huddled into a ball on the seat, leaning against him.

When his body stiffened from my touch, I bit my lip to keep from crying. What was the point of going through that mess if he didn't even want me here?

I tried to scoot away from him, but he immediately put his arms around me.

"I'm sorry. That was a habit. Come here." He pulled me close and yelled at the driver. "Fucking go!"

"Assholes!" Rose was nowhere close to being over her rant, and she punched Em on the arm. "Why did you keep me back? I'm going to kill those leeches! Bella's as much of a slut as I am the Queen of England."

That's when her ire was redirected toward Edward. Her eyes glared darts as she pointed in his direction.

"_You!_ Why would you do that to her? You have no fucking idea who she is, do you? Arrogant, motherfucking idiot. Her family would slice your balls off and bury your dumb ass alive without blinking an eye... no matter how famous you are."

I shook my head and took off the sunglasses. "Rose. I'm alright."

She huffed and moved to squeeze in on the other side of me. "This shithead has just made you a target." She took my hand. "Jesus, I hope they didn't get any shots of you."

My stomach clenched because she was right. It would be a huge drama if the cameras caught my face.

"You better call Alec," she continued.

"Who's Alec?" Edward interrupted. "What's the big deal here? _I'm_ the one who's going to have a lot of questions to answer."

Rose almost flew over me to get to Edward, but Em grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back to sit next to him. They were facing us, Rose seething and Em shaking his head.

"Chill out, tigerlady," Em said, keeping a tight hold on her.

I felt Edward's eyes on me and wasn't surprised when he reached out, taking my chin and turning my face his way.

"Mind telling me what the hell she's talking about?" he asked.

I swallowed a few times, my mouth dry. "My father's Senator Charles Swan. He'll be... um... _angry_ with me if my name ends up in the tabloids. He's planning to announce his candidacy for President next week."

Angry was probably too tame a word to describe my father's reaction.

His eyes widened. "_President_?"

"Yeah," Rose broke in. "You know... _President_... of the fucking _United States of America_."

Edward's eyes flitted in her direction before landing on me again. "Your dad is about to run for President, and you didn't think about mentioning that before we walked outside with all the cameras?"

That spiked my anger and Rose growled.

"You practically dragged me out there!" I huffed and pushed his hand away. "I was still in shock from realizing it was _you_ I was making out with in the dark."

Damn it.

_Why couldn't I keep my mouth shut?_

"So you _were_ making out!" Rose said. "I'm so proud of you... even if it was with _him_."

Edward ignored her, smirking at me before leaning in close enough to tickle my ear with his breath. "It was about to be a lot more than just making out. And as soon as we get to my hotel, we'll pick up where we left off."

My stomach flipped and my cheeks heated from thinking about what position we would have been caught in if they'd shown up five minutes later. Then the rest of his words registered in my brain.

"We're _not_ going to your hotel," I said.

"Yes, we _are_."

I scooted away. "No, we _aren't._"

He pulled me back. "It's _my_ guy driving the car, so _yes_, we _are_."

I shook my head and stared at him. "_No_. Take us to our apartment. I'm already going to be in enough trouble."

"So you want the paps to know where you live?"

_What?_

I panicked, turning to look behind us. "They're following us?"

He snorted. "Always."

"They can't find out it was me!" I was in full freak-out mode.

That's when Rose joined back in, and Em too. The three of them were arguing back and forth, and nobody was listening to anybody else.

I rubbed my temples, the beginning of a migraine settling in. All I had tried to do was have just a tiny bit of fun, and now I was being punished for it. I could already feel my father's wrath and hear my mother's nagging about my poor choices and how I was embarrassing the family.

But then again, I _did _get to experience having Edward Cullen's tongue practically down my throat. That alone was worth a few lectures.

Even if I had no idea what to do about him now.

"_Stop!_" I finally cried out, silencing the three of them. "Please just stop for a minute." I faced Edward again. "There has to be a way to throw them off our trail. Then you can drop us off somewhere, and we'll take a cab the rest of the way home."

I didn't quite understand the expression on his face. It was almost as if he was hurt by what I'd said.

"We're not dropping you off anywhere." I opened my mouth to protest again, but he continued on before I could argue. "We'll take you home."

I sighed with relief, giving him my address and watching as he talked with the driver. An awkward silence descended as we zoomed around the streets, losing our tail. The closer we got to our apartment, the worse I felt.

Edward's jaw was tense as he stared out his window, and I wondered if he was angry. Did he think I was sorry for what happened? Or did he think I was rejecting him or trying to brush him off?

I supposed that's what it looked like, and I was torn about what to do.

Any normal woman would have been trying to chain him up in their bed and throw away the key. He was a picture of perfection—even with his brooding pout—and he had made it very clear that he didn't want our evening to end prematurely. Perhaps I was crazy to throw away this opportunity so quickly, before I had a chance to further investigate the way he made blood race from head to foot.

But then images of my parents and James popped in my head and I cringed.

Sure, I wasn't technically engaged yet, but in all their minds, it was a done deal. The extravagant white wedding of the perfect Swan daughter to the Hearst heir was supposed to be one of the biggest events of my father's campaign plans. Every important person in business and politics would be clamoring for an invitation, and I knew my father was already counting the money from potential campaign donors.

Would I be betraying them all if I indulged these newfound feelings I had for the man sitting next to me?

My thoughts were broken when the car halted to a stop in front of our building. Rose moved to get out, but I sat there frozen.

When Edward's eyes met mine again, the air sizzled between us. Consequences be damned, I simply couldn't stop the words that came out of my mouth.

"Do you want to come up?"

My heart pounded out of my chest as I waited for a response.

His lips slowly curved up into a smile. "Yeah."

Em and Rose both muttered and rolled their eyes, but I didn't care. I felt brave and free and almost squealed like a little girl when Edward took my hand again as we rushed past the doorman and into the lobby of my building. Luckily there was nobody else around this time of night, so I didn't have to worry about anyone outing my guest.

Still, I didn't miss the way Edward's shoulders hunched and his eyes stayed focused on the ground while we made our way onto the elevator.

"Is that your way of trying to stay incognito?" I asked.

He looked at me and gave a small shrug. "I try, but it usually doesn't work."

The sad tone of his words made me pause. He may have been beloved around the globe, but he paid a price for it.

I shuffled my feet and fidgeted as the four of us silently ascended to our floor. There was a little voice in the back of my head screaming at me and asking what in the hell I was doing, but then Edward would squeeze my hand and it would shut that voice right up.

I glanced up when Em cleared his throat.

"I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Emmett Cullen." He motioned toward Edward with his shoulder. "_His_ brother."

I smiled at him, holding out my unoccupied hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Isabella Swan." I let go after our brief handshake. "I thought you were a bodyguard or something."

"Yeah, sometimes I have to pull double duty."

"_Shit_," Edward said, his voice mocking. "You suck as a bodyguard. I could beat your ass right now."

"Bring it, Slim."

I wasn't sure if they were kidding or not, but really didn't want any fights to break out in the elevator.

"And this is Rosalie Whitlock." I tugged on her arm, trying to get her to quit staring down at her phone.

She shook her head and lifted her eyes, glancing at the three of us. "What?"

"We're doing introductions."

She laughed. "It's a little late for that, wouldn't you say?" Her eyes fell back to her phone again. "Uh... Bella? This is _not_ good."

The elevator doors opened, and we all walked out together.

"What is it?" I asked, my stomach a ball of nerves as I unlocked the door.

The four of us made it inside before she showed me.

"Your face is all over twitter."

I looked at images of me and Edward, obviously taken with camera phones both inside and outside the bar. They were blurry and grainy, but my face was clear on a few of them.

"Oh my God." I felt sick and could barely catch my breath.

"You _really_ need to call Alec."

I nodded and grabbed my phone. At the exact same time, Edward's started ringing. I glanced up to find him watching me, another strange look on his face.

"_Who_ is Alec?"

It was hard to explain who Alec was. He just took care of things.

"He's a family friend. Loyal to a fault to my father, but I think he also has a soft spot for me. He's what my father refers to as the_ cleaner_. He's supposed to be my first call if anything is off, out of the ordinary, or if I mess up. He makes problems disappear."

"_Problems_? Like _me_? Am I a _problem_?"

Rose must have hit a nerve with the buried alive comment. I almost laughed, but nothing about this was funny at the moment. My father wouldn't _kill_ Edward.

At least I hoped not.

I didn't know how to answer him. Yes, he was a bit of a problem, but it wasn't his fault. It was mine. I liked the way I felt around him. Just being near him made me light-headed and tingly.

And he was here now because I'd asked him to be.

A lightbulb suddenly went off in my head.

Edward _freaking_ Cullen was in my apartment. It was hard to wrap my mind around. It was surreal.

"What?" he asked.

I shook my head and closed my gaping mouth. It wasn't going to help anything to stand here gawking at him like an imbecile.

"Nothing... um... your phone's ringing."

_That was a good distraction, right?_

His eyes narrowed a little, his stare intense. I wished I could figure out what was going on in his head.

Instead I dropped my gaze, dialing Alec while Rose ushered the guys into the living room and handed out drinks.

"_Isabella?_" Alec answered after one ring.

"Hi, Alec. I think there might be a problem."

"Where are you? What happened?" He already sounded alarmed.

"I'm at home." I sighed. "Well, it might not even be a big deal. I don't know."

I wasn't fooling anybody. Not even myself.

"Spill it."

"Rose and I were out celebrating at a new club, blowing off some steam after all the family parties earlier today. Anyway, there are some pictures of me walking out of the bar floating around."

"I don't understand. What's the problem?"

I took a deep breath. "I was holding Edward Cullen's hand at the time."

"Cullen? Who's that? Wait... that actor guy?"

Not just an actor. The hottest, most gorgeous hunk of man in the universe.

"Yeah, the actor."

He mumbled something, sounds of him rustling around in the background. "Hold on."

I tapped my foot impatiently, wishing I could just be a normal girl for one night. If I didn't have to deal with this crap, I could've already had the _actor guy_ in my bed.

My stomach fluttered.

Did I still want that? Could I really sleep with him?

I had been more than ready in that dark closet, but now I wasn't as sure. It would no longer be a spontaneous, impulsive act or getting carried away in a moment of temporary sexual insanity. I'd had plenty of time to think it over.

If I did sleep with him now, it would be intentional. With full clarity of mind.

"For fuck's sake, Isabella," Alec muttered, getting my attention back. "Your face is everywhere with this guy. I don't see your name attached yet, but it's only a matter of time."

_Ugh_.

I was in trouble.

"I take it he's more than a friend? He's got his arms around you in the car."

_They had pictures of us in the car?_

Damn. Damn. Damn.

"He's a friend. A new friend. I don't know."

He snorted. "_Friend_ my ass. Listen, I don't care what you want to do with your personal life. I understand if you want to get some on the side, considering that James kid bores the hell even out of me. But couldn't you have picked someone you could actually hide? Whatever you have going with this Cullen guy needs to end right now. I'll figure out how to deal with this story, but no more after this. There's a lot at stake here. You know that."

Yes, I knew that. Of course I knew that. Otherwise I wouldn't be a complete basket case right now.

It was at this exact moment, Edward's shouts rang out from the other room.

"_No!_ Tell those motherfuckers I don't give a fuck. _This is my fucking life!_"

I tried to cover up my phone, but I wasn't fast enough.

"He's there?" Alec asked.

"Ummm..."

The phone line went dead, and I nervously dialed him back. He didn't pick up.

_Uh oh._

I ran into the other room, finding Edward pacing, one of his hands gripping his hair, the other his phone. Rose and Emmett were sitting on a couch watching him arguing with someone.

"Code blue," I said.

Rose turned toward me, her eyes wide. "He's coming over here?"

I nodded. "I think so. He knows they're here."

"Hold up. Who's coming and why? And what the hell does _code blue_ mean?" Emmett asked.

I barely heard Rose explaining our secret language regarding surprise visitors. I was too distracted by the way Edward's fierce green eyes pinned me from across the room. It was possible he had some sort of voodoo magic ability because I couldn't seem to control myself around him. He crooked his finger, silently asking me to come to him, and my legs moved without even thinking.

"I'm done with this shit tonight. Just take care of it. I'll call you tomorrow." He ended his call and put his phone in his pocket before putting his arms around me and pulling me to him in a hug. "We have to talk."

I nodded against his chest. Yeah, we did have to talk.

I had to tell him he needed to leave.

And I resented the hell out of it. It was almost like I was being split open and pulled in two different directions. What I really wanted to do was snuggle in Edward's lap and lose myself in his kisses, but I couldn't satisfy that urge without hurting everyone in my life.

We moved to sit on the couch opposite Rose and Emmett, and she put a glass of wine in front of me. I took a large gulp, hating what I was about to do.

"This is a great place," Emmett said, breaking the silence.

"Don't look at _me_." Rose motioned toward me. "This is all her. I get the best friend discount."

"Damn, this is _yours_?" Edward asked. "It's nicer than my place."

I wondered which place he was referring to. Maybe his house in LA? I was curious, but stopped myself from asking. There were more important things to discuss—and quickly—aside from cosmetic issues.

I shrugged. "It was a gift from my grandfather."

The Upper East Side penthouse probably would have gone for over ten million on the market, but I rarely paid attention to such things. I stayed here because it was one of the few things my parents didn't control. It was mine and mine alone.

Edward's thigh brushed against mine, and I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the flutters arising again. I had to be tough. Resolved.

Cold.

It should have been easy for me. All I had to do was model my mother.

"Sooo..." Rose broke off and raised her eyebrow at me.

"The pictures are out there. Alec thinks it's only a matter of time before my name is attached to them. He's going to fix it somehow, but he says you guys need to leave." I closed my eyes after my blurted words, feeling awful.

My eyes popped open from a loud thudding sound, and I found Edward propping his feet up on the coffee table and crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm not going _any_-fucking-where."

_What?_

"Why are you being so obstinate? It's not like we have some deep relationship. We just met. Sorry I won't be able to warm your bed tonight, but I'm sure there's a line of girls around the corner who would be happy to oblige."

I hated being so hurtful and ugly, but I didn't know what else to do.

His eyes pierced me in return. "You really don't know _anything_. But I'm not going anywhere until you tell me why this is such a big deal from your end. I just yelled at my manager to tell the studio execs to fuck off. So what if your _daddy_ is about to go campaign? Your being seen with me would probably be a good thing."

"Could you have a bigger ego? You heard the names they were calling me tonight!" I shook my head at him. "I can't be some tabloid fodder when my father is king of the conservatives."

"And you decided all of this from the time you asked me up here till now? Why? Just because this Alec prick thinks he knows what's best for you?"

"And you think _you_ know what's best for me? Why? Just because you want to get in my pants?"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't even try and pretend you weren't all over me. We'll finish what we started, you can guarantee that shit."

"No, we won't."

"Yes, we will."

I wanted to strangle him and straddle him at the same time. He was the cockiest man I'd ever met, but it didn't make me want him any less.

In fact, I wanted him even more now.

Too bad I couldn't.

"We can't and we won't." I took another gulp of wine and steeled my resolve. "I'm sorry I led you on tonight. It was wrong. It's not only because of my father that nothing more can happen. It's because I'm promised to someone else."

Rose made a snort of disapproval, but I kept my eyes on Edward.

"You're _engaged_?"

"No. Not yet. But it's… it's inevitable."

He just stared at me, silent for a minute. "_Inevitable_. You make it sound like a prison sentence."

I couldn't tell him how close he was to the truth. He glanced over at Rose before meeting my eyes again, his smug smile reforming on his face.

"It's the dickless wonder, isn't it? Now I know why you came looking for me."

My mouth fell open and Rose giggled. I glared over at her and she tried to hide her chuckles behind her hand.

"Don't laugh! This isn't funny."

"Oh, yes it is," she said. "You two are a riot, and I'm loving watching this episode of foreplay. This is the most entertainment I've had in quite a while."

_Damn her_.

Before I could retort to either her or Edward, the doorbell rang. Rose scrambled off the couch to let Alec in, and I wrung my hands waiting for the fight to break out.

Edward was still militant in his reclined position when Alec strutted in, looking every bit the authority figure even in jeans and a button-down shirt.

"You two come with me. I'm taking you out through the garage."

Edward and Emmett looked at each other before Edward opened his big mouth.

"I'm perfectly capable of providing my own transportation, and we aren't quite ready to leave yet."

Alec was in no mood, narrowing his eyes. "You're leaving _now_, before any of the media realizes it was Isabella with you and camps out in front of the building."

Edward waved his arm in my direction. "She's a fucking adult, and so am I. Why not let her make her own decisions?"

My stomach was in knots. I hated this.

I wanted more with Edward, but I didn't want to hurt anybody else.

_Why did everything have to be so difficult?_

"Fine," Alec answered, his eyes landing on me. "Isabella? Would you like me to escort your guests out?"

_No._

My gaze fell to my lap, and I fiddled with the hem of my skirt. I couldn't bear to look at Edward's face.

Luckily, he didn't make me say the words I didn't want to say.

Edward stood up. "Alright, alright. Let's go, Emmett."

I lifted my head, finding Edward facing Alec.

"Just so you know, this whole scene was like waving a red flag in my face. I may have wanted Bella before, but now I _really_ want her."

My heart raced, and I couldn't hide my smile when he offered his hand to pull me up.

"Will you walk me out?"

I nodded and took his hand, the two of us following behind. Rose stood there wide-eyed and not making a sound as we passed.

I wondered if she was as surprised as I was by what Edward said.

We made it to the foyer, Alec and Emmett walking out first. Edward abruptly shut the door behind them, keeping us on the inside. He grabbed me and pressed me against it, leaning down until our mouths were a whisper apart and his eyes bored right into mine.

"You don't _want_ me to leave."

I didn't.

"Tell me the truth," he demanded.

I could give him that at least.

"I _do_ want you to stay. But you can't."

"Do you always do everything they tell you to do?" Anger flashed across his face. "Because that's no kind of fucking life."

Alec pounded on the door, making Edward groan.

"Give me your phone."

_My phone?_

"Why?"

"Just give it to me."

I handed it over, watching him press a few buttons. When his phone started ringing, it was obvious what he'd done.

He put the phone back in my hand, and I stopped breathing when his lips crashed down on mine. I wished I could latch onto this overwhelming feeling and never let go.

If only it were that easy.

He kissed me until my knees went weak and I had to break and gasp for oxygen. I was in a haze when he suddenly moved me to the side and turned the doorknob.

He gave me one last look. "This isn't over."

And with that he stormed out, Emmett and Alec trailing behind him down the hall.

* * *

**AN: What would **_**you**_** do if you were Bella in this situation? **

**Thanks so much for the overwhelming response to first chapter. I enjoyed reading all your comments and thoughts about these two. I still do not have a set schedule planned for this story. I'd love to be able to update weekly, but I can't make any promises right now. **

**You can find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Cursive by Phoebe44**

**The Purple Banana Hammock by TheFicChick**

**Enough by SydneyAlice**


	3. Chapter 3 The Dance

**Here's an update to celebrate my favorite holiday! Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving! **

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, Iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Dance**

The following days were filled with apologies, doubts, and more than a few tears. Alec had paid off the tabloids to keep my name and the most "incriminating" of the photographs—mostly those containing any physical contact between me and Edward—out of print and taken down from websites. I didn't know how he did it, and I didn't want to know.

There was nothing to do about the pictures from various phones, but it was decided that if any questions came my way regarding Edward, they were to be ignored.

Basically that night had been erased from existence... except in my head.

Luckily my parents had left for D.C. following my graduation party, and all communication with them occurred via the phone. Although they made me feel guilty as hell and about two inches tall, it was still easier to take their disappointment and anger when we weren't face-to-face.

James was a different matter altogether.

Much to my surprise, instead of calling as I thought he would, he showed up in New York three days after my _big mistake_.

"Code Pink," Rose warned after the doorman called to announce a visitor.

I quit stirring the tomato sauce on the stove and wiped my hands off, dread festering inside me while she let him in.

He followed Rose into the kitchen, his ice-blue eyes on me immediately. He looked impeccable, as usual, with his tailored suit, shined shoes, and neatly combed blond hair.

Always refined, polished, never anything out of place.

That was James.

A polite smile was plastered on his face as he turned from me to Rose. "Would you please excuse us for a moment?"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

It wasn't in her nature to reciprocate bullshit with more bullshit, and I wished I had her ability to call people out instead of placate them. It was one of the things I loved about her.

She walked by me, giving my hand a squeeze as she passed.

His pretense faded as soon as she was gone. No longer was he smiling and polite. Now he was sneering and bitter.

"Are you purposely trying to mess up our lives, or are you just stupid?"

I was shocked he'd come right out and said something so blatantly rude to me. I knew he was upset, but he'd never handled me quite this way before.

"It was nothing. He's a friend."

He stepped closer, his manicured fingers clenched into fists at his sides. I backed up, although I knew he wouldn't touch me.

No way. He wouldn't dare.

Alec would kill him. Then my father would dig his body back up and kill him again.

"Don't lie to me. You're horrible at it."

There was nothing I hated more than confrontation, so I kept my mouth shut. It was obvious anything I said would only make him angrier. When I stayed silent, he leaned in close.

"Don't _ever_ embarrass me like that again." His eyes made a path down my body and back up again. "Did you sleep with him?"

"No." _But I wish I had._

He gave me a short, condescending nod. "Well, at least there's that."

My body was trembling with the effort to hold back... to be _good_. I was the one who messed up, and it had been ingrained in my head since birth to apologize and suffer the consequences with dignity.

But I really wanted to scream at him. Throw him out. Tell him to never come back and that it would be a cold day in hell before I ever married him. I wanted to see the look on his face when I told him one touch from Edward meant more to me than eight years with him.

Instead, I submitted. Like always. I pushed all those simmering emotions down, numbing myself to survive.

Was that being strong? Or being foolish?

He finally backed away from me, his demeanor returning to polite and bland. "Now that we're clear, would you like me to take you to dinner since I'm here?"

"I'm in the middle of making dinner for Rose and myself." _And you're not invited_.

He scrunched his nose at the pots and pans on the stove. "I don't understand why you don't hire someone to do these things for you."

I sighed. "Because I like doing it for myself."

He eyed me again. _Was that disdain in his expression?_

"Another reason I came down here was to tell you I had a long discussion with your parents yesterday. Aside from the media fiasco, there's another important matter to deal with."

I cringed, knowing it had something to do with moving to Boston.

"You've had plenty of time now to pursue your education. I've been very patient, but it's time for you to grow up and follow through. I have your apartment ready for you in Boston, and I expect you to be there soon, and your parents agree. After your father's announcement next week, I'll be announcing our engagement within a day or two."

My mouth fell open as I stared at him.

"But you haven't proposed!"

He waved his hand, like it wasn't important. "What? Do you need the flowers and getting down on one knee scene? _Really_? I thought we were past that."

I was so close to tears, my lip was quivering. Not only did it feel like I had no control over anything, but now they were sucking every drop of enjoyment from me too.

His hands were suddenly on my shoulders, and I glanced up to see his expression softened with a smile. "Don't be upset. If that's what you want, I'll take care of it."

The sentiment would have been nicer if I hadn't heard the underlying tone of self-pity in his voice. As if an ounce of romance while proposing would be a huge sacrifice on his part.

He kissed my cheek. "I'll leave you to your meal and make those plans. Do you want me to escort you to Washington for the State Dinner on Saturday, or can you manage to meet me there?"

Sometimes I hated him.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I'll meet you there. I'm sure my parents will want me to arrive with them."

He nodded and let me go. "Then I'll see you on Saturday evening."

And with that he was gone.

As soon as I heard the door shut behind him, I broke down completely, huddling right there on the kitchen floor and sobbing. I was trapped in a life I didn't want, and I didn't know how to escape it. I felt like I was never going to be happy.

Never.

Rose must have heard my crying because I soon felt her wrapped around me, crushing me in a hug and telling me it would be okay. She let me bawl and wail until my body stopped shaking and my cries were reduced to whimpers.

I didn't know what I'd do without her. She was my rock. The only person in my life who I knew cared about my feelings more than her own.

She eventually got me into my bed, and I lay there next to her like an empty, hollowed-out shell of a person. Maybe that's all I was anymore.

I was too scared to rock the boat. To let my parents know I wasn't happy with their plans and interference. To let James know I wanted no part of marriage to him. I was too scared to try and live my own life.

I was the biggest faker of them all.

When I had no more tears left to cry, and I'd relayed the conversation with James, Rose comforted and curled up with me until I fell asleep.

I tossed and turned all night, until finally succumbing to exhaustion at dawn. When I woke, it was early afternoon. I found a note in Rose's scrawling cursive next to my head.

_Shower, dress in your comfiest pjs, and join me in the den_.

I smiled my first genuine smile in days, pushing my covers away and wincing from the headache induced by the previous night's crying jag. After showering and dressing again, I walked out to find she'd prepared the den for one of our "comfort days".

I'd met Rose my first day at Columbia, the two of us literally crashing into each other as we rushed toward our class. With our books, papers, and purses scattered all over the hall and the two of us sprawled out on our backs, I had almost wanted to cry. But we looked at each other and broke out into fits of giggles over our combined mess. It was an instant connection, like she was the sister I'd always wanted, and she moved in with me a week later.

Four years later, we did consider ourselves sisters.

And over that time, when one or both of us were having a rough time, we would indulge in the occasional day of complete laziness. We'd pig out on junk food, listen to music, drink ourselves silly, watch movies, and pour out our souls.

I loved these days.

"Here," she said, handing me my favored vanilla latte. "You need to start with some caffeine."

I plopped down on the couch, grabbing a chocolate croissant off the coffee table loaded with sweets, and she settled in next to me.

I took a bite and moaned. "This is perfect. I needed this today."

She patted my leg. "So did I."

After I'd filled my stomach with carbs and sugary caffeine, Rose closed the drapes and stuck a DVD in. My heart started beating double fast when I realized it was one of Edward's movies.

She was so sneaky.

"I thought you didn't like him?"

She laughed. "I suppose he's not so bad. Arrogant as hell, but that defiant speech he made in Alec's face was hot. I know your panties got a little wet."

I gasped at her vulgarity, but couldn't hold back a grin. She was right. It _was_ hot.

"Has he called you yet?"

My high spirits plummeted, and I glared at my phone. "No. I don't know why he did all that at the door and hasn't called."

"So you _do_ want him to call..."

I huffed. "No." _Yes_.

"Yes, you do, you little liar. Why don't _you_ call _him_?"

My stomach flipped. "No way. Don't even think about it."

His face came on the screen, and I sighed. He was too gorgeous for words. And those lips. They were as soft as they looked. I squirmed a little thinking about how they felt against mine.

And his hands.

His voice.

His...

My entire body overheated thinking about him grinding against me.

_Me_... Isabella Swan... I actually touched Edward Cullen's… _package_.

Well, kind of.

Thankfully, Rose didn't mention my fidgeting or blushing.

A steamy sex scene filled the screen, and I grabbed a book off the table to fan myself. I'd been so close to that in reality.

Rose giggled and tickled me with her feet. "You need to get _on_ that!"

Cue my regret. "I _wish_."

She sat up and paused the movie before taking one of my hands. "I'm serious. You should have seen your face when you were around Edward. You were like a completely different person. Why can't you let yourself be happy?"

"I can't have a secret affair just because I lust after some guy. I thought I could do the one-night stand thing, but it's not me."

"Who said it had to be a one-night stand?"

I turned my head and stared at her. "How could it be anything else?"

"Dump James and grab Edward!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. Sure. Right. My father would probably disown me. And that's assuming Edward wanted anything more than an easy roll in the sack. Highly doubtful. He's from an entirely different world where he probably has a harem of girls at his service daily and parties all the time. Besides, it's quite clear his interest was short-lived since he's made no move to contact me again."

She snorted. "There's nothing clear about it. He looked just as into you as you did for him. You didn't exactly leave him with any hope, which is why you should call him." She squeezed my hand. "As for your father, well you know my thoughts on _that_ subject. I think your parents need to act like fucking parents and give a shit about what _you_ want instead of what _they_ want."

"I can't be a problem right now. Not when he's about to start the campaign. This is the most important thing he's ever done."

She grabbed my shoulders and got in my face. "And this is _your_ life. It's too much for him to expect you to marry someone you don't love simply because it would be good for his political career. That's ridiculous! Why can't you see that?"

I could see it. I just didn't know how to stop it.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing, chatting, and drooling over Edward's movies.

Well, I did most of the drooling.

But in the back of my mind, I was trying to figure out if there was a way to make myself happy and keep everyone else in my life happy too.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

I glanced around the room, completely bored with my surroundings. The same people, the same conversations. I took a sip of my champagne and tried not to yawn.

Then I berated myself because I knew most people wouldn't have taken this experience for granted like I was.

We were attending a State Dinner at the White House. A grand fanfare honoring the British Prime Minister. But I'd done the whole routine many times before. Standing in line with my parents and James, a brief handshake with the President, dining on elegant cuisine, and keeping a fake smile in place for hours.

It didn't help that my father was considered the front-running Republican to come out of the primaries and run against the incumbent President in the next election. My false smiles were more forced than usual since most of the people here were Democrats with lingering stares full of questions.

The partisan claws would be out in even more force once my father's candidacy was confirmed.

It was almost a relief when James left my side after dinner to talk to an important acquaintance, and I could hide off to the side by myself.

The last thing I expected was what happened next.

"I'm usually the one being chased, but I don't mind chasing _you_, Miss Swan."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, not only from hearing the voice I'd been dreaming about every night for the last week, but also from the touch of his fingers on the small of my back. A shiver of excitement traveled up my spine.

_Was he really here?_

I turned around and smiled. _Really_ smiled.

It was _him_.

_Edward_.

Tall, sexy, and in a tux.

I had a hard time catching my breath, and didn't know if was from the sight of him, the sound of him, or perhaps just the proximity. It was like every cell in my body came alive. I glanced around to make sure neither James nor my parents were close, before meeting Edward's eyes again.

Was it possible he was even more gorgeous than I had thought?

"What are you doing here?" I managed to get out.

His fingers barely touched my arm, brushing down my skin lightly, along my elbow, past my wrist, until he'd woven our fingers and held my hand in his.

"I came to dance with you."

Now I really couldn't breathe.

"How? Why? _Really_?" I was babbling again.

His lips lifted in that half-smile he was famous for. "Well, I did have to make last minute arrangements and come as George Clooney's date. Don't even ask what I have to do in return for this favor." His eyes smoldered. Yes, _smoldered_. "But don't be jealous. Believe me when I say you are much more attractive than he is."

I laughed for the first time all night.

_Was this really happening?_

"I... um... it's good to see you."

His thumb brushed along my knuckles. "I couldn't wait any longer. Will you please dance with me?"

I snuck a peek around, James nowhere in sight, and nodded. Being near Edward again, even for a short amount of time, was too hard for me to resist.

He led me out across the parquet floor, weaving between the couples, and my heart pounded with excitement. I couldn't believe I was back in his arms again as we moved together in time with the orchestra.

"You really came here to see _me_?" I asked.

He leaned down close enough that his forehead almost met mine. "Yes. Is that so hard to believe?"

_Yes_.

"But I haven't heard from you since that night. Why all that drama with my phone if you weren't going to call me?"

His smile melted me. "I was waiting for _you_ to call _me_." He twirled me. "And you will."

"I don't have your number." _Yes, I did_.

He laughed, having me pegged. "I'm just wondering what you saved it under. Not my initials. That would be much too obvious."

I was too busy being flustered by his hand sliding down my back to think of a response.

He leaned in closer and hummed. "Maybe it's under _Mr. Big_?"

_Did he really say that?_

My cheeks flamed, and I shook my head.

"_No_?" he continued. "Yeah, that's too Sex in the City, isn't it? Want me to keep guessing, Bella?"

The way my name rolled off his tongue sent a jolt of arousal right through the center of me. I wondered if there were any dark closets close by.

"Don't look around, look right here," he said, directing my attention back to his glittering eyes and mischievous grin.

Wait.

_Wasn't that a movie line?_

I bit my lip and giggled. "You're invading my dance space. _This_ is my dance space. _That's_ yours."

He threw his head back and laughed, a few couples around us sending sly smiles in our direction.

I couldn't remember a time I'd felt happier than I was at this moment. It was easy to get lost in the way he looked at me. The way he held me and talked with me. The way he laughed and made my heart knock against my chest.

I never wanted it to end.

Unfortunately I suddenly felt under surveillance, and sure enough, when I glanced over, James was glaring in our direction. I automatically tensed, and Edward's eyes followed in the same direction.

It was an impossible situation. There was no way I could continue having fun in Edward's arms. It wasn't right. In fact, it was likely people were already talking.

And this was my father's arena. I shouldn't have been so impulsive.

"I need to go back." I pulled away with huge regret, and started walking toward James.

Edward followed me. "I suppose it's time to meet my competition."

_What was he doing?_

I was scared to even ask. James was going to flip out. As I neared, James reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me tight against him.

"What the hell was _that_?" he hissed in my ear.

My eyes watered, but I tried not to cry out from his fingers digging into my skin. I attempted to yank my arm away, but he wouldn't let go.

I felt Edward behind me, so I turned to stand at James' side, both of us now facing him.

"Why don't you introduce me to your _friend_, Isabella?" James' voice sounded lethal.

My mouth opened and shut, and I lifted my head and met Edward's eyes. I didn't know what to say or do.

"I'm Edward Cullen," he said, saving me from the babbling that was about to erupt. "And you're _D.W._?"

_D.W.?_

James appeared as confused as I was, shaking his head and narrowing his eyes. "I'm James Hearst. Isabella's fiancé. And I'd appreciate it if you would stop harassing her. It's causing unnecessary media attention at the worst time for me and her father."

I watched Edward's eyes flit toward my hand, probably checking for a ring, before his gaze paused on James' hold on my arm. Anger flashed across his face, his nostrils flaring.

He moved closer, his rage-filled eyes locked on James. "Do you know what I'd _appreciate_, D.W.? I'd appreciate if you loosened your grip on Bella's arm. Because if you don't, I'm going to cause the biggest scene ever and beat your motherfucking ass right here in front of all these nice people."

James pulled his hand away like he'd been burned, and I rubbed and covered the sore area with my other hand. Edward reached out like he was going to touch me, but then stopped and put his hand in his pocket.

He was staring at me so intently, and I wished I could understand the silent questions in his eyes.

At that moment, my parents appeared, moving in between Edward and me. My father gave him one of his practiced looks of disapproval and my mother ignored him.

"Are you two ready to leave?" Mother asked me and James.

"Yes." James took my arm again—at least it was gentle this time—and led me away.

I turned my head back to find Edward, but my parents behind us blocked my view.

I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

* * *

**AN: Anybody want to nutpunch James? **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I'm such a fail at review replies, but I read and enjoy every single one. I still do not have a set schedule planned for this story. I'd love to be able to update weekly, but I can't make any promises right now.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Caught Looking by Marvar**

**Holding On and Letting Go by Jenny0719**

**Symmetry by aftrnoondlight**

**Stubborn Love by VampiresHavebeagles**


	4. Chapter 4 The Talk

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, Iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Talk**

After leaving the White House, I returned with my parents to the townhome they kept in D.C. Conversation was sparse during the drive—and as we got settled for the night—giving me time to think over the events of the evening. I'd rather have fled immediately back to New York, but it made more sense to stay, since I was supposed to accompany them for the kickoff of my father's campaign in two days.

Besides, it was past time for me to have an honest discussion with my parents about the future they envisioned for me. And why it wasn't necessarily the best option.

The timing may not have been ideal, considering my father was about to embark on the most important venture of his life, but I was running out of time. It had to be now, before I really did have James' ring on my finger.

Plus, seeing Edward again had given me the spark I needed to open my mouth and finally tell them the truth.

He had gone out of his way to seek me out. Actually, not only to seek me out, but also to find me on _my_ turf... or at least my father's turf.

It had to mean he wanted more than just a wham, bam, thank you ma'am.

_Right?_

He could have just called me and tried to set up a secret meeting if all he had wanted was sex.

Instead, he'd been creative. He'd somehow found out where I'd be and made his interest in me quite apparent with his unexpected appearance. In my eyes, he was all the more intriguing, and his willingness to go to these lengths had me wanting to return the sentiment.

I _did _want to see him again. All I had to do was figure out a way for that to happen.

I spent about an hour talking with Rose on the phone, relaying the evening's events and steeling my nerves for the revelations I would lay on my parents at breakfast. She'd sounded so excited and proud that I was considering this discussion; it made me all the more resolved this was the right decision.

I felt hopeful for the first time in a long time.

The next morning, I awoke early, showering and dressing in a simple sundress. It wasn't as casual as I'd have preferred, but I knew my mother would be unhappy if I wore a t-shirt and shorts, and I didn't want to start off on the wrong foot. Even though the heat of summer streamed in through the windows with the morning light, I put on a light cardigan to hide the bruises on my arm left from James' hand the night before.

He'd made a serious mistake putting a mark on me, and I'd use this evidence to help my case if necessary.

I made my way downstairs, and plucked out the entertainment section of the paper set out for my father. My breath caught when I saw a picture of Edward from last night.

He was so beautiful, even in the grainy black and white photo.

I supposed I was lucky the picture wasn't featuring me dancing in his arms, but I was also a little sad. I scoured through the captions and articles, looking for any gossip linking us together.

"Isabella, sit up straight." My mother's sharp words cut into the peaceful morning silence as she walked in the room.

I quickly set aside the paper and lifted my head and shoulders, correcting my posture. My body was well-trained to immediately obey her demands.

"You're picking up too many bad habits living with that _girl_," she spat, not even trying to hide her disdain for my roommate.

There was no love lost between my mother and Rose, and neither was shy about letting me know their feelings. My mother thought Rose was white trash and a bad influence, while Rose thought my mother was the spawn of Satan wrapped in Chanel.

I tended to lean toward Rose's side.

I sighed. "Rose is my best friend."

This wasn't starting at all like I wanted. Mother made some small snort of disapproval before sitting down across from me at the table, and I took a moment to look her over.

She was beautiful. Always had been. Her skin soft and pampered, her light brunette hair shiny, and her figure petite. But she maintained it with vigorous and religiously followed routines for everything. Food, exercise, skin and makeup regimens. Every single minute of her day was tightly scheduled to keep up with appearances. She was almost military-like in her precision and had tried to drill the importance of it all into my head.

It never really took.

If I had any free time, I'd much rather spend it reading a good book, talking with Rose, listening to music, or any of another thousand different things before inspecting my pores with a magnifying mirror.

But that was just me.

Helen walked in, setting fresh fruit and tea out for us, and sending me a wink. She was my parents' personal housekeeper and the only "servant" who traveled everywhere with them. But she was much more than just a maid or housekeeper. She was like a grandmother to me, practically raising me herself, when I hadn't been in boarding schools as a child, and she was the only person I knew who engendered genuine warmth from my mother.

I was pretty sure Helen was my mother's only true friend in the world.

"Thank you, Helen," my mother said, fiddling with her tea. Her judgmental eyes were back on me after Helen disappeared into the kitchen. "It seems we need to have another discussion after that ugly scene last night."

I forced myself to maintain eye contact instead of cowering and dropping my gaze to my lap, but my hands shook as I clasped them together under the table. Instead of the strong, determined woman I'd felt like when I came downstairs, every second under her scrutiny had me inching closer to the indecisive, unsure doormat of a girl I usually was.

I was beginning to hate the doormat girl.

"I... I... can explain..."

My halted speech was interrupted when my father walked in. He patted my shoulder and took his seat at the head of the table.

"Good morning, girls," he said, putting his napkin over his freshly pressed slacks and thanking Helen when she placed his coffee in front of him.

Nobody said another word until Helen was gone again, my father raising his eyebrow at the two of us.

"We were just discussing the nasty display from last night," Mother said.

_Be strong. Be strong. Be strong._

"Edward is my friend. There was nothing salacious about it." My voice shook, and I took a deep breath.

"Quit being so naive. You two were making a scene, and everyone in there was talking about it." Mother pushed her grapefruit to the side. "This isn't some romance novel, Isabella. There were a lot of people there last night who would love nothing more than to gather and use any little morsel of unseemliness against your father. You were attending with James—your _fiancé_—and you had every tongue in the room wagging with your little _dance_ with that seedy actor."

My heart pounded and my face flushed from anger. "James _isn't_ my fiancé. And Edward isn't seedy. He's nice and he's interesting, and I actually have fun being around him."

Mother started to speak again, but my father put his hand up to stop her.

"How well do you know this Edward?" he asked me.

_Yikes_.

"Well, I haven't known him long. But that doesn't make me like him any less. I want to get to know him better."

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "What if he's just using you to grab more headlines? He seems to love the spotlight."

"He doesn't need me for any headlines." It was ridiculous to suggest. Everyone in the world already knew his face.

"I had Alec look into him." He pursed his lips, his eyes stern. "Not only has he given money to the opposition party, but he has had some legal issues in the past and is notorious for bed-hopping. I don't understand why you would want to be a part of that."

I bit my lip, forbidding the tears that wanted to fall. He may have been right. I could have been doing all this for nothing. Edward might just want to screw me and walk, like the tabloids claimed was his modus operandi. Perhaps I should have investigated him more thoroughly before I put myself out on a limb like this.

But then again, maybe this desire for something different had less to do with Edward and more to do with me. He might have been a catalyst and the final push, but it was me who wanted to change. I wanted to live my own way and not the way they'd planned for me.

I met my father's eyes again. "I'm not trying to be a notch on his bedpost, and you know better than anyone that rumors about character are not always true. He's been nothing but kind and sweet to me, and he shouldn't be punished because of gossip."

He fell silent, but my mother was seething.

"Every time you are seen with him is more ammunition against your father! How could you be so selfish?"

My mouth fell open as I stared at her angry face. _I_ was being selfish?

"Renee. Stop," my father said.

She turned her glare toward him. "Are you considering letting her continue to see this trash? Are you crazy?"

"At least she's coming to us and talking about it, instead of just doing it anyway. At least this way we can be prepared for any backlash." He pointed in my direction. "I don't feel right telling her who she can and cannot see. She's twenty-two, not five."

My father was actually sticking up for me. I wouldn't have believed it if it wasn't happening right in front of my eyes. He usually went along with whatever my mother thought.

And my mother _always_ thought I was wrong.

It seemed she was even more shocked than I was.

She shook her head, fuming. "What? What does this even mean?" Her eyes blazed at me. "You want to go whoring around? What about James? What about the wedding?"

"She's right about that," my father said. "I don't want to tell you that you can't be friends with Edward, but it does make it awkward in regards to your relationship with James. I don't need to remind you his parents are some of my biggest contributors and that James is planning to follow in my footsteps."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, turning completely toward my father instead of both of them. At least he was listening to me.

It was time to drop the bomb.

"I don't want to marry James. I didn't want to marry him even before I met Edward."

My mother gasped and my father's face paled significantly.

"What? _How_?" my mother sputtered.

Father was a bit calmer. "What happened? I thought you two were happy. Why haven't you said something before now?"

I wrung my hands. "I didn't want to disappoint you. I've never loved James, but you both were so set on us being together. I didn't want to make you angry."

Mother stood up. "This is ridiculous." She walked over to put her hands on my father's shoulders. "It's just cold feet. Everything will be fine."

I shook my head. "No. I don't want to marry him. I _won't_ marry him."

Rose would have been so proud of me. I told them exactly how I felt, and I didn't back down.

This was the moment my mother decided to resort to theatrics. She burst into tears, making my father stand to comfort her. He was always uncomfortable with emotional outbursts, but he would do anything for her.

She was bawling against his chest, telling him how I was going to ruin everything and I wasn't thinking rationally. I almost started to regret my behavior as I watched her carry on. It was amazing the way she could make me feel like the worst person in the world.

Eventually she calmed down enough to turn toward me, her eyes red and her face streaked with tears.

"I want you to think long and hard about what you're doing. You'll never forgive yourself if you ruin your father's chances in this campaign."

With that, she turned on her heel and stalked out of the room. I caught a glimpse of Helen following after her.

My father sat back down with a heavy sigh. The guilt and tension was thick and my heart hurt.

_Was I really going to ruin him?_

"I'm sorry," I said.

He was silent for a minute, his gaze set on a spot on the table. "I can't deny I'm disappointed."

Now I wanted to cry like my mother had.

"Are you sure about this?" he continued, glancing up at me. "It isn't cold feet?"

I shook my head.

"You never said a word. Nothing. You've been with him for years." He sighed again. "I take it he doesn't know this yet either?"

"No," I said, my voice almost a whisper. "I'll tell him soon."

He let out a short laugh. "I hope sometime _before_ he announces your engagement."

A spurt of hope bloomed inside me at the sound of his laugh. Was he giving me his blessing for the _non_-wedding?

"I was hoping you'd tell him not to be there for your announcement. I mean, it would be awkward if he was there," I said. "I'll make a stop in Boston afterward and talk to him."

He slowly nodded, his eyes full of questions. "Is this all because of Edward?"

"Not really. I mean... he was kind of the final push to make me realize how unhappy I was at the prospect of a future with James. But I've felt this way for a long time." I reached out and took his hand. "I don't mean to be a problem. I really don't. I'll be with you every step of the way during the campaign. I promise."

He smiled. "I know you will. You've always been an angel. I know your mother is hard on you sometimes, but she does mean well."

_Yeah, right_.

I kept my thoughts to myself. "Also, I know you're worried about the attention my being friends with Edward could cause. But there may be a bright side."

He snorted. "What's that?"

"Well, if he and I were to become closer, it could bring you a whole new demographic."

I could practically see the wheels turning in his head. He was first and foremost a politician. And I knew he was thinking about a whole generation of twenty-somethings—who adored Edward—tossing their democratic tendencies to the side and leaning my father's way if he had Edward's support.

I would never use Edward like that, but I wasn't going to say that now. Not with everything so raw at the moment.

He let out another chuckle and shook his head. "I can't court Hollywood, Bells. Sure, it would make the left go crazy, but I'd lose my base. It's a tempting thought, though."

"Hey, the base can't say anything if it's Hollywood coming to _you_."

We both tried to fight it, but we burst out into simultaneous laughter. Mixing sexy, liberal Hollywood with the conservative right? It was pretty hilarious to think about.

He squeezed my hand. "Just be smart, okay? I trust you, and I know you'd never do anything on purpose to hurt me. But I really have no idea how this is going to play out. I'll need to talk to Alec and my other advisors. I hate that your personal life is something I need to weigh in terms of consequences to my campaign, but it's just the reality of the situation. You understand that, right?"

"Yeah, I understand. And I promise I won't become Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan."

He looked confused. "Should I know who those people are?"

I shook my head and laughed. "No. I just meant I'll be discreet and modest, as I always am." I swallowed again, emotions rising up. "I want to thank you for letting me talk to you like this. I was scared to bring it up."

He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable again with the emotional turn of the conversation. "I've... _we've_... always wanted what's best for you. I know I've probably made a lot of mistakes, but in the end, I do want you to be happy."

And that might have been the best thing he'd ever said to me, even if I knew he was foolish trying to include my mother in that statement.

I let go of his hand, shifting my fruit around on my plate. "So you'll tell James not to be there tomorrow?"

I really didn't want him to be present in my father's hometown. It would seem like he was too much a part of the family.

"If you want me to. I guess I'm going to have to look for support to make up for the absence of the Hearsts."

Another pang of guilt hit me. It was difficult knowing I was going to be the reason for some strife in the early campaign.

"Maybe they'll still back you. I mean, if I wasn't happy with James, he probably wasn't happy with me either. Maybe he'll be relieved."

I didn't believe a word coming out of my mouth, and my father didn't either.

He gave me a long look. "You're _absolutely_ sure you want to break things off completely with him. That's a big decision."

"Yeah, I'm sure." My stomach twisted, but I took off my sweater and held out my arm so he could see.

His eyes bulged, handling my arm gently, and taking a closer look. "What _is _this? What happened?"

The bruises were almost in the perfect shape of a hand, purple imprints where James' fingers had been.

"James did that last night."

"That little bastard," he muttered. His eyes bounced up to mine immediately. "Excuse my language."

I waved it off. I'd heard a lot worse. I'd _said_ a lot worse.

He let go of my arm and pulled out his phone. "Has he done anything like this before?"

I shook my head.

He nodded, but his face was as red as a tomato, and I imagined steam coming out of his ears. "I need to make some calls. You finish your breakfast and I'll talk to you later."

He walked out toward his office, leaving me alone at the table. It had been chaotic, and I had no idea how my mother was going to react in the long term, but I felt a thousand pounds lighter.

I'd done it. I'd really done it.

I'd talked honestly to my parents and the world didn't crash around me.

Maybe I could grab some happiness for myself after all.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

"Call him."

I laughed at Rose. She'd been ecstatic when I'd phoned later in the day to relay the success of my breakfast conversation, and now she was full steam ahead on Mission: Get Edward.

"You really think I should?" I asked, my stomach fluttering with nervous butterflies.

"Yes! He came to you last night, so now it's your turn. Also, you should see the flowers that arrived for you this morning."

"What? _Flowers?_"

There were only two possibilities of who could have sent them to me. And since James had no interest in romance, that left only one.

_Had Edward really sent me flowers?_

I reminded myself to breathe while Rose giggled and told me to hold on. A few seconds later a picture came through of a gorgeous arrangement of orchids and lilies.

"Is there a card?" I asked.

"Yes, it's addressed to you, but I haven't opened it. Do you want me to?"

"Yes, tell me what it says!"

I ran over and closed my bedroom door after realizing I was practically screaming. The last thing I wanted was for my mother to pop in, wondering why I was being so loud. I hoped I could avoid seeing her again today altogether.

Rose cleared her throat. "Okay, it says... _Bella, Thank you for the dance. I'm only sorry it was interrupted. Until next time, Johnny Castle_."

I managed to explain to Rose the meaning behind his using the name of a Dirty Dancing character, even though it was hard to get it all out through my giggles.

"You really have to call him, Bella."

She was right. I did.

I'd been strong all day. I could do this too.

But I was a nervous wreck. Calling a superstar I may or may not have been crushing on was not something I did every day. Or _ever_.

After ending the call with Rose, following promises I'd tell her every juicy detail, I scrolled down my contact list until I found _his_ number. I stared at it for a full five minutes before working up the courage to actually press it.

I held my breath when it rang.

Once.

Twice.

_Oh, God._ It was going to go to voicemail, and I was going to have to leave a message. It would likely be the worst voice message in the history of messages. And he would laugh. He would erase me from his memory instantly.

Three times.

I cringed, sweating with nerves, trying to think of anything remotely interesting I could say aside from _hello_. I was the lamest person in the world.

_Maybe I should just hang up before I embarrass myself completely?_

"Hello? Bella?"

I almost fell out of my chair at the sound of his voice. It was _him_. He answered.

My head started spinning, and I realized I needed to start breathing before I passed out. I gulped down oxygen and gripped the chair so I didn't fall over.

"Bella? Are you there?"

I almost dropped the phone. "Yeah... um... it's Bella. Or, it's me. Yeah. Sorry. I thought I saw a cat."

I smacked my head.

What the hell was I saying? _A cat?_

He chuckled. "You saw a cat?"

I took another deep breath. "Yeah. It was a nice cat."

_Could I be a bigger moron?_

He only let out another smooth laugh, before I heard someone else's voice talking to him. There were more mumbled words, like he was covering his phone.

I'd obviously interrupted him.

He was probably out on a date with another girl he'd picked up last night after I'd left him high and dry.

Probably a Democrat. With blonde hair and big boobs.

"Sorry. You sound busy. I'll let you go," I blurted out.

"No, no, no," he answered. "Don't you dare hang up. That was just Jane. One of my managers. She says hi."

"Oh. Um, hi."

I heard a door closing, and all the background noise fading away.

"There," he said. "All alone now. I've been waiting for you to call me."

"You _have_?" It was hard to imagine a world where Edward Cullen was waiting for a call from me.

"Yes. I told you that last night. I knew you'd call me."

And there was the arrogance. It made me lust after him _and_ made me want to slap him.

"How do you fit that large head through doorways?"

He laughed again. "I have them specially designed just for me. So, _Baby_, did you get your flowers?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, _Johnny_. Well, kind of. I'm still with my parents in D.C., but Rose sent me a picture. They're beautiful. Thank you."

"You're very welcome." He paused, his voice softening. "Are you okay? It was great to see you last night, but I was worried that I might have put you in bad situation. I wasn't thinking much past dancing with you, but your parents and D.W. looked pretty upset. I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble."

The genuine concern in his voice made my insides melt.

"Actually, everything is good. Great, really. I... I actually had a long overdue conversation with my parents, and I think maybe a lot of things are looking up."

"So this isn't a call to tell me to back the fuck off?"

I bit my lip, my cheeks heating. "No. Not at all."

"Good. Because I wasn't going to anyway."

I had to stop and catch my breath again. He sounded so determined.

"I swear though," he continued. "I was about to kill that fucker for hurting you last night."

My heart stuttered. His anger at James was all kinds of sexy.

"I told my parents I wasn't going to marry him." The words came out of me in a rush.

He was silent, and I wondered if he'd heard me. I was about to explain further when he spoke again.

"You're not getting engaged to him?"

"No."

"Well, fuck me." He let out a whoop. "Dickless Wonder has been kicked to the curb. That's some excellent news. You should have led off with that one."

My worry that Edward was only interested because of the chase was somewhat subdued by his response. He sounded happy at the prospect of me being single and available. I was also chuckling at learning the meaning behind D.W.

"Are you still in D.C.?" I asked.

He sighed. "No, I'm in L.A. I had to fly back this morning for a few reshoots." There was some shuffling of papers. "I do have a little bit of time off in a few days. Would you be available if I happened to find myself in New York?"

You couldn't have wiped the smile from my face. He wanted to see me.

In just a few days.

I was giddy and forced myself to contain the squeal that wanted to come out.

"I'm going with my parents to Connecticut for my father's announcement tomorrow and then I have to stop in Boston. But, yes, I'd love to see you again after that."

"It's a date then, Miss Swan."

A date. A date with Edward Cullen.

"Damn. They're calling me back in. I'm sorry I have to go, but I'll be calling you later," he added. "I like hearing your voice, even if it is over the phone."

Did he take classes on how to be charming?

"Okay," I said. "I'll talk to you soon."

"Very soon. Bye, Bella."

"Bye."

I felt like I was floating. Was this what infatuation felt like? This excitement. The thrill of possibilities.

It was something I'd never experienced before, and I couldn't wait to see what happened next.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

The next day, I emerged from the limo with my parents, greeting family friends and supporters as we made our way to the dais. We were in my father's hometown of New Haven, Connecticut. The setting was festive: balloons, banners, and flags, all in the requisite patriotic red, white, and blue. Even the weather was cooperating, the sun shining down brightly, as if full of promise.

I was all smiles, my buoyant mood mostly due to the second phone call with Edward I'd had in bed the night before. We'd talked for hours, mostly easy topics of likes and dislikes, covering a range of subjects from literature to colors. But we kept chatting away—neither of us seeming to want to let the other go—until I was too tired to keep my eyes open a second longer.

The only blight on this perfect day was my mother. I should have been happy she was not speaking to me—it meant no lectures or reprimands—but her silence only emphasized her displeasure and made me feel guilty.

I tried to shake it off, playing my part as the dutiful daughter, even when she held me close with fake affection to keep up appearances for all the others.

We finally made it to the stage, where my father was being introduced and would give his speech. As I climbed the last stair, a foreign hand took my elbow, keeping me steady.

My blood chilled when I glanced up into the familiar ice-blue eyes.

_James_.

* * *

**AN: Bella stands up for herself… finally. Do you think Renee will ever come around? Do you think James is going to go away quietly? **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one. **

**If you are in the mood for a holiday fic, you can find a short and complete E and B romance story under my profile: Twelve Days of Christmas. I wrote it last year and am hoping to post a futuretake for those characters this season. **

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Departures by TheFicChick**

**Yosemite Decimal by MagTwi78**

**Blood & Glory by drotuno **


	5. Chapter 5 The Break Up

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, Iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Break Up**

_James_.

Why in the hell was he here?

After that whole conversation with my father—and especially after showing him the bruises on my arm—I couldn't believe that he wouldn't have followed through on his promise. He wouldn't have told me he would keep James away and then not do it.

My father was a lot of things, but a liar wasn't one of them.

That left only two possibilities: either James was ballsy enough to come on his own, despite my father telling him not to, _or_ somebody else had gone behind our backs and told James to come anyway.

I narrowed my eyes at the back of my mother's head. It would have been exactly like her to do something like this.

Once I was on the stage, James tried to slide his hand down my arm to hold my hand. I managed to maneuver out of his grip, quickly walking over to stand behind my father. I almost felt sick when James followed to stand right beside me.

This was exactly what I hadn't wanted to happen. It would appear to everyone watching that James and I were together. Like he was the prodigal son-in-law-to-be and a part of our family already.

I knew I was partially to blame for not speaking up sooner, nor really having the "break up" conversation with him yet, but it still irked me that he'd found a way to wheedle himself in somewhere he didn't belong.

And there was nothing I could really do about it right at this moment.

My father spoke to the roaring crowd, and I put on the biggest smile I could muster. I applauded at all the right spots and kept trying to inch as far away from James as possible.

Unfortunately, my mother stood on the other side of me.

If there was a more uncomfortable spot in the world for me than being flanked by James and my mother, I didn't know what it could possibly be.

I tried to control my fidgeting, wishing my father would hurry it along. At one point, I noticed Alec off to the side, his sharp eyes honed in on James. That made me smile.

Finally I heard my father finishing up with thanks and his campaign slogan, promising a vote for Swan would be a vote for a "stronger America". Personally, I thought it was cheesy, but the professional pollsters loved it. He turned to motion my mother and I forward, taking our hands and lifting them in the air.

It was sort of exciting hearing all the cheers and love thrown my father's way, although I tended not to enjoy being front and center in the limelight. I supposed that was something I'd have to work on.

I'd been warned by various advisors of my father about how my life would change if his progression through the campaign went as predicted. He was easily the favored Republican to earn the nomination, and scrutiny on him—on all of us—would increase exponentially as we went through all the primaries toward the National Convention in a little over a year.

It was daunting to think about, but the wheels were set in motion from this point. No turning back now.

As soon as my father let go of my hand, we were surrounded by more family, close friends, and big contributors. My Grandfather Swan snatched me up in his arms almost immediately, and I was grateful to see him.

I didn't get to see him nearly enough.

"How's my babydoll?" he asked, kissing my forehead.

"You're here!" I was so happy. "I'm good, how are you? How was Africa?"

If my father was a politician, my grandfather was a humanitarian. Marcus Swan had been a brilliant businessman in his day, multiplying the family fortune many times over, but at the root of his soul, he wanted to help others. Over the last several years, he was constantly on the move. He traveled around the globe, often to the most bereft and impoverished locations, to give aid and try to fix problems that nobody else seemed to care about.

I loved him completely. I only wished he was around more often.

A sad smile broke out on his weathered face. "Good and bad. I always see some things that would tear your heart right out of your chest, but then there are the sights that make it all worthwhile. A mother being able to feed her family, children so excited about a pair of sneakers to wear on their feet, people receiving medicine they need." He sighed and hugged me again. "There's just so much to do out there, babydoll. I'm sorry I missed your graduation."

I grinned up at him. "Don't even worry about it. But you may have to make it up to Rose."

He laughed. "How's my little Rosebud?"

"She's good. She has a few prospects for new jobs, and she's trying to figure out which one she wants."

"Well, I'll be stopping in New York next. Can I have a date with my two favorite girls? I want to give you your graduation presents in person."

I giggled and poked him in the chest. "You better not have gone overboard. The penthouse alone is worth more than a lifetime of gifts."

"Now, now. I wouldn't be me if I didn't spoil my girls."

He was generous to a fault.

Something caught my eye, and I glanced from his face over to find James schmoozing with some man. I glared and stifled the anger wanting to erupt.

"You could do a lot better than him," Grandfather said, noticing where my attention had turned.

"I know."

We both stood there watching as my father moved down the line of congratulators, halting in surprise when he finally stood in front of James. If I'd had any doubts about my father before, they were gone now. His face went from smiling to stony, obviously surprised to see James here. He shook James' hand and leaned in to say something. Everything appeared normal on the outside, but I could see the tension.

And when my father pulled away, James looked like he was about to pee in his pants.

"What was that all about?" Grandfather asked, facing me again.

I squeezed his hand. "I'll tell you all about it on our date."

"I'm holding you to that, babydoll."

I hugged him again before we parted to do our obligated duties and appease those who wanted to chat up the family.

It wasn't too much longer before we were ushered back toward our cars, and I'd decided enough was enough. I left my parents' side to walk over to James, who was striding off toward another limo.

"Are you driving back to Boston now?" I asked.

He turned around, appearing startled by my question. "That was my intention."

"Would you consider driving me home instead and taking a flight back up to Boston?" I really just wanted this over with, and the two hour drive to New York would give me plenty of time to tell him it was over.

"Sure," he said immediately.

His enthusiasm made me feel a bit guilty. It wasn't his fault I hadn't broken things off with him long ago. It was my own fear that had held me back. I was making James out to be the bad guy when I should have been blaming myself for being a coward.

Neither my father nor Alec was happy with my decision to ride with James alone, but I assured them I would be fine. I said my goodbyes and got into the back of James' limo with him.

I sat on the seat opposite him, so we faced each other. Neither of us said a word for a long time, and the silence only made me more nervous. I willed myself to find the courage I'd had when I talked to my parents.

His eyes were wary as I wrung my hands. I'd been trying to figure out the best way to tell him my feelings for a while now, but nothing ever sounded very good.

It wasn't easy to tell someone you never loved them and didn't want to marry them.

"Sorry about your arm. I was angry. Wasn't thinking," he finally mumbled.

My desire to end things flared even more at the insincere tone of his voice. This was the incentive I needed to open my mouth. It was obvious he was only apologizing because of whatever my father had said to him.

Which reminded me...

"My father asked you not to be here today. Why did you come anyway?"

His body tensed and he glared at me. "Because it was important for my future... _our_ future!" he spat angrily.

My father had been so wrong when he suggested Edward might be using me. It was James who wanted to use me for his own gain. I was simply a pawn. An object for him to get where my father was.

All his family money couldn't buy him respect. Gravitas. He was weak and needed me—needed the backing of my family—to truly get him the power he sought.

_How had I never realized it before?_

"There is no future for _us_."

He shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

I took a deep breath and clasped my shaking hands together on top of my bouncing knee. "I've wanted to have this talk with you for a long time now. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, but this isn't going to work. I don't want to get married."

He leaned forward. "You don't... _want_... to get married?"

The ominous undertones in his voice had me even more uneasy.

"I... I... don't think either of us would be happy."

I swallowed the lump in my throat when he moved to sit next to me, putting his hand on my thigh.

"And when did you decide all of this?"

"I've felt this way for a long time."

His fingers squeezed my leg. "I don't believe you. It's that actor asshole, isn't it?"

I tried to push his hand away, and when he wouldn't budge, I whipped my head around to meet his glare.

"Don't touch me." My words made him loosen his grip, but he didn't take his hand away. "It has nothing to do with him. I just don't want get married."

"You don't want to get married, or you don't want to get married to _me_?"

"Both."

He shot me another rage-filled glance before shaking his head. "I can't believe you. I've waited all this time, and now you tell me at the last minute you changed your mind. Do you know how many people you'll be disappointing with this bullshit?"

"I've already talked with my parents." I sighed, reaching out to gently take his hand. Maybe he'd be more reasonable if he didn't feel like I was taking everything from him. "I'm sorry, James. I really am. But this is for the best. We don't love each other. I know this. You know this. If we end things amicably, there's no reason you can't continue to have my father as a mentor of sorts."

I moved my hand away when his kept clenching into a fist repeatedly. His face turned red, like he was about to explode.

Too bad I was right.

"You're ruining everything!" he yelled, his hands flailing out wildly.

I tried to dodge it, but the back of his hand caught me right on the cheekbone and temple. The harsh blow was more shocking than painful. I'd never been hit before in my life.

My mouth fell open and tears welled in my eyes as I tried to scoot as far away from him as I could. The change in his demeanor was instantaneous.

His eyes widened, and he leaned toward me, reaching out. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean for that to happen. It was an accident."

"Stay away from me!" I cried, backing myself in the corner.

"It was an accident, Isabella. You were in the way."

_He was blaming it on me?_

I felt better when he sighed and moved back to the other seat across from me. He kept apologizing over and over. I remained silent, but his reasoning and remorse eventually made me believe he hadn't intended to hit me.

I hoped he hadn't.

As we neared the city, silence had fallen between us again. I wanted nothing more than to get out of his car and into my apartment. I'd said my peace, and as far as I was concerned James Hearst was now a part of my past.

Just a few blocks away, my phone buzzed in my purse. I picked it up without thinking, checking the text.

**Call me when you get home. By the way, what color panties are you wearing?**

I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

"It's _him_, isn't it?" James sneered.

I lifted my eyes from my phone, nervous from his anger again. I couldn't take anymore drama.

"It was Rose, if you must know. She's checking on me."

"You're such a shitty liar."

I sighed with relief when the car pulled in front of my building, but James grabbed my arm before I could get out of my seat.

"Just because you want to throw everything away doesn't mean I do. You _will_ be back with me before it's all over."

I shrugged off his hand, not giving him a response. I just wanted out of there.

But my stomach turned as I thought over his words. They'd almost sounded like a threat.

I hurried out of the car and into my building, surprised when the doorman stopped me.

"Miss Swan, are you okay?"

He normally didn't say anything except good day or good evening.

I nodded and smiled. "I am now, Felix." I walked past and thanked him for holding the door.

Once I was in the elevator, I realized why he'd been concerned. I hissed at my reflection in the mirror. James had put another mark on me, and this time it was on my face.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

"I'm not wearing any right now."

Edward's groan echoed through the phone, making me laugh. It was his own fault for constantly asking about my panties.

"Fuck, Bella. The things I'm going to do to you."

Good thing I actually _was_ wearing panties, because his strangled words were doing things to my lady parts. I squirmed around in my seat, trying to get comfortable on the couch.

"What are you doing right now?" I asked, trying to change the subject before I started panting.

"I'm eating a boring-as-fuck meal consisting of broiled chicken, broccoli, and a protein shake, but I'd give my left leg for a Double-Double from In-N-Out. I'm also about to google your pictures from today."

My heart stopped.

"Wait! Before you do, I need to tell you something."

"What is it? Did something happen?"

"Well, kind of. You know how I told you my father was going to tell James not to be there?"

"Yeah."

"He... um... he came anyway."

He was silent for a minute. "What does _that_ mean?"

"It means nothing. He shouldn't have been there, and I made it clear to him afterward. I just didn't want you to see him in the photos and think I was lying to you or something." I cringed, my face heating. "I mean... ah... I know we're not anything. I mean... like... not official." _Oh my God. Shut up, Bella_. "I just mean I wanted to be truthful. We haven't really done anything much besides talk on the phone. You could have fifty girls there with you right now for all I know."

I wanted to gag myself with a pair of panties just so I'd stop the insane babbling coming out of my mouth.

He laughed. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's take that one at a time. What did I tell you about believing anything in the tabloids about me?"

"That I shouldn't believe anything, and to ask you. That you'd tell me the truth."

"Okay. So, do you want to ask me something?"

_Oh, so many things_.

"Do you have fifty girls there with you right now?"

He chuckled again. "No. There's only one, but her name's Emmett."

I giggled, pushing the ice pack Rose had put on my face back in place.

"I know it'll take some time to earn your trust," he said. "But I think you'll find out I'm mostly a boring guy. I wasn't always an angel, but when it comes to relationships, they've been few and far between for me."

I wanted to laugh. There wasn't a boring bone in Edward's body.

"What about flings?"

"I haven't done the casual hookup thing in a long time." He sighed. "You know, honestly Bella, you're the first person I've met in a non-work capacity in years that I've let in at all."

He didn't trust anybody, but he was trying for me. It made me sad and thrilled at the same time to know that.

"But why me? Why are you letting me in?"

"Because you wanted me before you knew who I was. Because I know your intentions aren't because of who I am or how much money I have." He snorted. "Actually, it's likely your life would be a lot easier if I went away, so you letting me get closer means that much more.

"Plus, you're hot as fuck, and I swear to God I've been hard ever since our closet meeting."

My mouth fell open. The man went from making me swoon to making me blush. I didn't even know what to say.

"Now, back to the original conversation," he continued. "You're right. We don't have a label. I think we can talk more about that when I'm there. But just to be up front, I'm not the cheating kind. If I'm with someone, I'm with them. That's it. And I expect the same in return."

My tongue felt like lead in my mouth. He probably thought I was horrible because I'd basically been cheating on James when I met him.

"I'm sorry. I should have ended things with James before ever kissing you."

I felt like complete shit.

"Hey, I didn't say that to make you feel bad," he said, his voice full of regret.

"I know you didn't, but it's true. I was stupid. But it's over now. I talked with him today after the rally."

"Seriously. I didn't say that... _fuck_... your situation was kind of out of the ordinary. But I'm glad to hear you talked to him. How did that go?"

Rose picked that moment to walk back into the den, putting a bowl of ice cream on the table in front of me.

"Did you tell him?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"You tell him what that asshole did!"

Rose had flipped out when I walked in, ranting and raving and wanting to take me to the police station to file a report. I kept telling her it was an accident, but she was having none of it. I finally relented, letting her take a picture and send it off to Alec.

Alec had then proceeded to blow his top. I assured him James hadn't meant to hit me, but I didn't think he believed me. I was worried about Boston going up in flames at some point tonight.

"What's she yelling about?" Edward asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

_Ugh_.

"Let's just say it wasn't the most pleasant of conversations with him."

Rose plopped down on the couch next to my feet, huffing in my direction. "He hit her!"

I kicked at her leg, wishing she'd be quiet.

"What did she just say?" Edward asked.

"Nothing."

"Tell me what happened. Did she say something about _hitting_? Did he _hit_ you, Bella?"

Something crashed in the background, and I heard Emmett yelling.

My heart was pounding, along with my head.

"It wasn't like that. It was an accident. I promise."

"So his hand _accidentally_ made contact with what part of your body?" It sounded like he was about to start gunning people down.

I threw the ice pack at Rose and rubbed my face. "Edward, calm down. I'm fine. It wasn't like that. Anyway, it's over and that's what counts."

"Give Rose the phone please."

"Why?"

"Because Emmett wants to ask her something."

I narrowed my eyes, but handed Rose the phone.

"Hello?" she said, patting my knee.

I kicked at her again. Edward getting all worked up was her fault. I'd just wanted to have a nice, soothing talk after this long day. Now everyone was all up in arms over nothing.

"Yes," she went on. "Her face."

Before I could figure out what she was doing, she sent off the picture she'd taken for Alec. The resulting shouting through the phone could have been heard in the next room. I groaned when she handed it back over to me.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll be there tomorrow."

* * *

**AN: Was it an accident or not? What do you think? How do you like Grandpa Swan? **

**Next up is more Edward time. **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one. **

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Stay by FictionFreak95**

**Seventh and Pine by iambeagle**

**Salacious by cutestkidsmom**


	6. Chapter 6 The Arrival

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, Iambeagle, Bookishqua, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Arrival**

"Owww!" I winced from the pain and blew out a gust of air.

It didn't even faze the stylist, who continued right on with her torture, removing the next wax strip. I gritted my teeth and went to my happy place.

A beach. Warm sand, bright sun, loud surf. Fruity drinks with umbrellas in them. Edward. Naked.

Mmmm. Naked Edward.

_GAH!_

That one hurt.

I glared at the girl who probably carried whips and chains around in her purse and operated her own House of Pain in the after hours.

Damn bikini waxes. The things we put ourselves through in the name of beauty.

As soon as my call with Edward ended the night before—and he'd told me he was arriving today—I'd booked an emergency visit to my favorite salon. It was probably very presumptuous of me to think Edward would actually be seeing anything underneath my clothes, but I didn't want to take any chances.

It never hurt to be prepared.

After getting exfoliated, rinsed, and dressed again, I met up with Rose, who was just finishing with Jacob.

Jacob—who went by _only_ Jacob... no last name—was the owner and namesake of the salon and truly a genius. At first glance, one would think he was a football player or some other type of athlete. He was a giant of a man: tall and muscular, with pretty tanned skin, glossy, black hair, and the whitest teeth I'd ever seen. However, his skills lay far outside the sports arena. He was a masterful artist with hair, makeup, and making anyone beautiful... and the most sought after stylist in New York.

"Ah, Bellisima! You sit right here and I'll be right with you," he said, twirling the chair next to Rose.

Another Jacob quirk was his using a different accent every time I saw him. Apparently, today he was trying out Italian.

"Lauren! Bring Bellisima some Pellegrino! Presto!" he shouted, clapping his hands.

Rose giggled and met my eyes in the mirror. By the time my sparkling water had arrived, Jacob had made his way over to me.

He gasped, his eyes focused on my face, and I braced myself for the inquisition.

"What is _this_?" he asked, his fingers brushing over my bruise.

It was even uglier today, having turned a darker purple instead of the angry red it had been yesterday. I'd hidden it under large sunglasses on my way in, but even I had to admit it looked awful under all the lights of the salon.

He bent over until we were eye level, and I gave him a small shrug and smile. He pursed his lips and nodded when I didn't offer any specific details, letting me keep my dignity and privacy.

"Lauren! Run and get my kit!"

I almost felt bad for the girl as she jumped from Jacob's loud demand. I wondered how much she got paid for being his gopher girl. She appeared again a minute later, huffing from running around, carrying what looked like an old-fashioned doctor's medical bag.

Jacob set it up on the counter, humming to himself while rummaging through it. "Sì, sì! This is what we need." He pulled out a small vial, applying the cream to my bruise gently. "This is my special, secret blend. It works wonders."

I smiled at him again. "Thank you. And I hope you know how much I appreciate you fitting us in like this at the last minute."

He waved his hand. "No problema. Anything for you two." His fingers made one last pass over my cheek and he met my eyes again. "Whoever he is will get what's coming to him. Karma's a puttana."

I laughed again and he sent me a toothy grin.

And soon my bruise was forgotten as he snipped and colored and styled, chatting away the whole time. He had a way of making every single person feel special. It wasn't any wonder he was so popular.

Well that and the fact Rose and I took a stack of his cards with us every time we left and recommended him to everyone.

I felt great as we got up to leave, bright and shiny like a new penny. I hoped Edward would notice.

Jacob stopped me before we walked out, putting a vial in my hand. "Keep putting this on twice a day, bella ragazza. And if for some reason karma doesn't do its job, you send the bastardo to me."

I hugged him. "Thanks again. For everything."

He scooted us out, and I put on my sunglasses again while Rose hailed a cab.

"You look great," she said as we got in the car. "Sooo... do we need to stop for some condoms on the way home?"

I slapped her leg, my cheeks on fire as I glanced to see if the cabbie was paying any attention.

She scoffed. "Oh, please. You know he's heard everything before. It probably wouldn't even shock him in the least if we both stripped and started making out."

I watched as the driver's eyes immediately focused on his rearview mirror, a little too eager for a sneak peek, and I shook my head. Rose loved to tease me.

"Seriously though," she said, poking me in the side. "It has to have crossed your mind. I mean, are you going to ask him to stay over?"

My phone buzzed with a text, and I ignored her question to check it.

**Three more hours.**

Edward had been sending occasional texts since he boarded the plane. Each one sent a thousand butterflies loose in my stomach. He seemed as excited as I was to see each other.

Rose laughed and I turned toward her. "You should see the silly-sweet smile on your face."

"I can't help it," I said. "I've never felt like this before."

She nodded. "It's the first time you've been in love. This is how you're supposed to feel."

_In love?_

"Who was your first love?" I asked, wanting to take the focus off of me.

She sighed and leaned back in the seat, her eyes softening as she smiled. "Timmy Mulroney. We were in third grade and collected pencils together."

"Pencils?"

"Yeah, all different kinds and colors," she said, still in her dreamy voice. "Timmy had funny hair and big blue eyes, and I would write his name over and over in my notebook with little hearts around it." She turned toward me again, grinning. "He was my boyfriend all through elementary school. I was heartbroken when his family moved away before junior high."

I ached a little for her young, broken heart, but I was also a bit jealous. She was lucky to have gotten to experience things like that. This was just another example of how I usually felt like I was standing on the outside, with my face pressed against the window, watching everyone else live their lives. I'd been in private boarding schools until college, surrounded by only girls. There were never any boys to share pencils with when I was young.

I chuckled at her frown. "So what happened to all the pencils?"

She scrunched her forehead. "Huh." She let out a short laugh. "I have no idea. Maybe they went with Timmy." She grabbed my hand. "But the point is that I'll always remember him. To this day, the mere mention of the name Timmy makes my stomach flip. _That's_ first love."

I shook my head. "Well, I don't think I'm in _love_ with Edward. In lust, maybe. But, it's too fast for love. I barely know him."

"Hah! You know enough." She snapped her fingers. "Sometimes it can happen just like that. You two clicked instantly, and there's nothing wrong with that. There's no rule that says a certain amount of time has to pass before what you feel for someone is legit. And screw anyone who says different."

Maybe she was right.

I was always too caught up in what was considered proper. In what other people thought. How every single thing I did or said needed to be weighed against how it would appear to others or how it reflected on my parents.

Sometimes it was exhausting.

Perhaps it would be best to just follow what my heart told me in regards to Edward. It seemed to be working out okay for me so far.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

"I'm sorry. I really didn't think it was that big of a deal. He sounded sincere when he said it was an accident."

"It's not an accident when he leaves a mark on your face! I told you not to get in that car with him!"

My father was irate, with James for hitting me and with me for not telling him. I was running around the apartment, trying to get dressed, make dinner, and talk to him all at the same time.

And Edward was due at any moment.

I sighed. "Hold on for just a second." I slipped the dress over my head and quickly straightened it, looking myself over in the mirror. It was a pastel blue and fluttery, probably too dressy for a quiet night at home, but I wanted to be pretty for Edward.

Plus, it showed off my legs. I had great legs... one of the only things I was glad to have inherited from my mother.

"Isabella!"

I picked up the phone again, trying not to sound as irritated as I felt. "I'm not sure what you want me to do. I ended things with him yesterday, so hopefully I won't have to see him anymore."

"Why didn't you tell me this was going on? How many times has he done this before?"

I took a deep breath to keep my cool. He kept asking me the same questions over and over as if he wasn't satisfied with the answers I was giving.

"Like I already told you, it was the first time. I swear it's the truth. I don't know why he's been out of control lately, except for the fact I'm not doing exactly what he wants me to anymore."

I wasn't allowing James to keep me under his thumb, and he didn't like that change one bit.

"Well, I'm going to be having a private conversation with him. And if anything ever happens like that again, I want you to call me first."

"I will. I promise."

I started rushing toward the kitchen to stir the sauce, but had to turn right back around when the doorbell rang. I'd left word at the front desk to allow my two visitors up immediately, but they hadn't called to say they were here.

"Who's that?" my father asked.

_Damn_.

"Nobody. It's a delivery. I have to go. Did you need anything else?"

He grunted as I walked to the door. I peeked through the peephole, my heart pounding at the sight of Edward's chin.

_His chin!_

How could a chin make me go crazy?

"Father, I really have to go." I hoped he would let me go before they rang the bell again.

"Fine," he growled. "Enjoy your dinner."

As soon as I ended the call, I flung open the door. Edward and Emmett both stood there, each carrying a bag and sporting a grin.

"I thought you were going to force me to camp out here in the hall," Edward said.

"Sorry about that. My father was on the phone and Rose is in the shower I think... and... there's food and I had to get dressed and..."

He stepped forward and set his bag down before ending my rambling by leaning down and giving me a light kiss.

"Hi," he said.

I opened my eyes, staring right into his. I felt dizzy.

"Hi."

I could have stared at his face all day. Those green eyes. The high cheekbones. The pouty lips and strong jaw. The stubble from not shaving today. It was no wonder this perfect face covered magazines and film screens around the world.

And he was here. With _me_.

"Emmett, you know your way around. I need to talk to Bella alone for a minute."

His voice broke me out of my trance. I was being an awful hostess. I glanced over at Emmett, who seemed to be shaking his head at the two of us.

"You can help yourself to a drink from the bar if you'd like. Please make yourself at home."

He nodded and waved us off as he walked toward the den. When he disappeared, Edward took my hand, pulling me toward the kitchen. He seemed even taller than usual as I walked next to him, until I realized I'd forgotten to put on any shoes. The effect this man had on me was unbelievable.

We'd barely entered the kitchen, when his hands were suddenly on my waist, lifting me up on the counter. He pressed himself close, his hips between my legs, similar to our closet rendezvous.

My blood raced in anticipation.

But instead of the kisses I was expecting—and wanting—he brushed my hair back and inspected my bruise. I huffed and frowned, wishing his focus was on me and not on my cheek.

_Did he come all this way just to see the same damn thing he'd seen over the phone or had he come to see me?_

His face inched closer, until I felt his warm breath on my skin.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice low, rumbling.

Before I could answer, his lips brushed over my cheek, my temple. His kisses were so soft, so gentle, covering every part of my bruised face.

And I no longer remembered what I'd been upset about. I barely remembered my name.

"Hi," he said again, before his lips finally made their way to mine.

My whole body prickled with excitement, and I put my arms around his neck to pull him closer. He made some sort of humming sound, tilting his head and deepening the kisses. One of his hands tangled up in my hair, the other sliding up and down my back.

It seemed like forever since I'd gotten to be so close to him.

"Ten days," he said, prying his lips from mine and attacking my neck. "Too fucking long."

I didn't know if he was talking to me or himself. I didn't much care when he flicked his tongue and then sucked on a spot below my ear.

"Oh... _ahh_." I couldn't come up with any words.

It was like he'd found a secret spot on my neck, that when pushed made me an aching, wanting mess.

How had I never known about this spot before? Was there a manual out there somewhere?

"Mmm," he hummed, the vibrations against my skin making me shiver. "You like that. Don't you?"

_Yes. Oh my God, yes_.

I could only nod.

"Fuck, you taste good. I bet you taste good _everywhere_."

I gulped when his hand moved from my back, around my hip, down my thigh and then up under my skirt. His other was still in my hair, cradling my head as he kept kissing my neck.

His fingers crept up my leg, his thumb kneading along my inner thigh along the way. I whimpered when his mouth sucked on the secret spot again.

"Jesus, the noises you make. _Fuck_." His voice was thick, scratchy. "Tell me to stop."

Wait. What did he mean?

_Stop? _

Why would I want him to stop?

I would have krazy glued my mouth shut before telling him to stop.

Was he insane?

I wrapped my legs around him, aching for some friction. My breath caught when his thumb slid over the outside of my panties.

"Here?" His breath fanned over my ear, his thumb pressing harder. "Is this where you want me?"

_Holy_ …

The Rabbit could take a backseat to Edward's fingers.

My answer of 'yes' got caught somewhere in my throat, but I tried to pull him even closer.

His mouth made its way to the other side of my neck. "This side tastes even better." His thumb kept rubbing, and I moaned. There was no way I could keep quiet. "Your panties are all wet, Bella. I think I should take these off you."

"I... I... good."

He hummed again, and my body felt like a live wire. Like one more kiss or touch was going to set me off.

"Tell me to stop, Bella. Or I'm going to rip these panties off you and bury my face between your legs."

I was ready to beg and plead with him to do whatever he wanted. It all felt so good. Then his words registered through my haze.

He wanted to do _what_?

"_Really_?"

Sure I'd seen it a couple times on one of Rose's porn movies over the years, but did normal people do it? I wasn't so sure.

It just seemed odd to think about his face being _down there_.

"What?" He lifted his face from my neck, and I opened my eyes to find us nose-to-nose, his tongue swiping his bottom lip. "Don't Republicans lick pussy?"

He said the P word. Out loud. Was he seriously asking me this?

"I... I... don't have any statistics on that. I'm not even sure if there's polling data available. I know _I've_ never done it. But a sample size of one isn't really going to give you any accurate information."

He only stared at me with his heavy-lidded eyes as I finished babbling, before he burst out into laughter. I wanted to cry when he pulled his hand out from under my skirt, but he cupped my cheeks as his chuckles died off, keeping our faces close together.

His eyes locked on mine, his smile big. "I'm really happy I met you."

My heart pounded in my chest.

Would it be too much to reveal meeting him might have been the best thing that ever happened to me?

I was starting to believe Rose might have been right with her first love theory. It scared me a little how much I felt for this man already. And the more space he took in my heart, the more vulnerable I became to being crushed when he moved on to the next girl.

Despite that, I still wanted to jump in with both feet. I didn't want to be on the outside looking in anymore.

I opened my mouth to respond when two throats cleared in the doorway.

Edward scowled, dropping his hands to the countertop and turning toward the sheepish-looking Rose and Emmett. "You two have the worst timing in the world."

"Now, now. Don't get pissy, Slim. We actually came to tell you we're leaving. Rosie's going to take me out on the town. You're staying here, right?" Emmett said.

Edward glanced at me.

"I thought it would be easiest if we stayed here tonight," I explained. "I cooked, and I just didn't want you to have any trouble with cameras and then there's my face. There are extra bedrooms if you guys... uh... well if you'd rather stay here than at a hotel. I don't know. Well... yeah."

I was such an idiot.

Edward grinned at my rambling, his fingers moving to rub my knee. "It's perfect." He turned back to his brother. "Yeah, we're in for the night."

"Excellent!" Emmett put his arm around Rose's shoulders and pulled her close.

"_Rosie_?" I asked, remembering what Emmett said before.

Nobody ever called her Rosie.

She rolled her eyes, but sent me a smile. "You may owe me for this, Bella." Her eyes narrowed at Edward. "And _you_." She paused, eyeing him up and down before softening her expression. "You be careful with her pencils, or you'll have more than just her family to answer to."

I blushed from head to toe. She sent me one last smile and tugged Emmett off toward the door.

Edward turned back toward me, curiosity written across his face. "Pencils?"

I covered my face with my hands. "It's a long story."

"Well, we have all night." He pulled me off the counter and put me back on the ground. "And then some."

_And then some._

At the sound of my neglected sauce bubbling, I hurried over to stir it, reveling in the promise underlying Edward's added words.

* * *

**AN: Anybody else want to be trapped on a counter by Edward? You think Edward is going to take a spare bedroom?**

**The next week is going to be crazy busy for me, so I'm not sure when the next update will be, but there will be a lot more Edward and also some Grandpa Swan in the mix. **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one. **

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Barefoot in Texas by planetblue**

**Operation: Merry Christmas by nicnicd**

**Night Time Romeo by sparklnfade **


	7. Chapter 7 The Date

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, Iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Date**

"Tell me about your family," I asked.

We were making use of my balcony, dining in the evening light. He looked so sexy sitting across from me, relaxed and slurping down my shrimp linguine. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and my fingers itched to touch the hint of chest hair visible to me.

In fact, it had been difficult to keep my hands off of him ever since Rose and Emmett had made their exit, but I was doing my best. There was just something about him that made me want to permanently attach my body to his. In every way possible.

It was a bit unnerving really. He'd somehow flipped a switch inside me, changing me from prudish to wanton in less than two weeks.

How did he do that?

He poured more wine into my glass and reclined back in his chair. "Well, I guess they're relatively normal. My dad's a doctor and my mom stayed home to raise the three of us. I'm the oldest kid, then Emmett, and Alice is the youngest, but we're all within five years of each other. Mom really had her hands full with us."

It sounded like a childhood I wished I'd had. Siblings and a mother who actually took an active part in her children's lives... it sounded like perfection to me.

"Where are you from originally?"

"A tiny town in the Pacific Northwest called Forks, Washington."

"That's a long way from Hollywood."

"Yeah, I was always into drama and music during school. One day I was in Seattle with some buddies at a mall, and I guess you could say I was "discovered". This woman from a local talent agency talked me into some modeling. My friends almost beat me up for doing it, but it was money in my pocket as far as I was concerned." He laughed and ran his hand through his hair. "Anyway, one thing turned into another and I ended up with an audition for a little part in a small movie filming in the area. The director of that film was friends with the director of an upcoming project, and I was given a script and an opportunity to try out for a lead role." He blew out a gust of air and shook his head. "I never thought I'd get it, but I did."

"Midnight Sun?" I asked, knowing that was his first big film. The one that catapulted him into the spotlight.

He nodded. "Yep. It was tough moving to California by myself at eighteen, but it was an opportunity I couldn't turn down. It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing. Then Em joined me a few years later. Alice moved down there a couple years after that for school. Now my parents have even pulled up stakes and made the move south. I got them a big place in Malibu." He chuckled. "Mom started going a little crazy when all her kids moved out. Some kind of empty nest syndrome. But it's nice having them closer now. At least when I'm actually home."

"Does your dad still practice medicine?"

He shook his head. "No. He mostly plays golf now and pesters Mom and Alice. You should meet Alice. She thinks you two would hit it off."

I raised my eyebrows at the fact he'd mentioned me to his sister. "She does?" He nodded, taking another bite, and I continued on. "Is she still in school?"

"No. She's with me too. It's nice that my family wants to be involved, to be a part of my career. She graduated from UCLA last year and is now my _stylist_." He grinned. "For me, it's just good to have people around I know I can trust."

There was the mention of trust issues again. It made me wonder what had happened to make him so jaded.

"Did you have a bad experience?"

He frowned and looked over at the skyline. "The business is cutthroat. I was dumb, naive, and gullible when I started out." He shrugged. "I didn't know any better, but you learn as you go along. Everyone has an agenda and everything means something. It's easy to fall into the trap of being a pawn for the power players. It's taken me almost ten years to finally feel like I have some control over my life."

_Maybe we were more alike than I'd thought_.

"I definitely understand that feeling. Or I'm hoping to one day."

He turned toward me again, some emotion I couldn't decipher flashing in his eyes. "It's great that you're starting to stand up for yourself, but let me ask you something." He leaned forward, propping his elbows up on the table. "Say you have complete freedom to do what you want... what is it you _want_ to do?"

Good question.

I wrung my hands under the table. "I'm not really sure yet. So much has changed so quickly. Now that I have no intention of moving to Boston, I guess I have to figure out what's next."

"You told me your degrees were in business and cinema. Did you want to use them in some way? I mean, it's obvious you don't have to work if you don't want to, but have you ever thought about anything in those fields?"

I sighed. "My parents hated my taking film history classes. They thought they were frivolous. A waste of time. They urged me toward art history in general, believing it sounded more studious and less flighty, but I promised them a simultaneous business degree if I could continue on with cinema."

He shook his head a little, but didn't say anything.

I gave him a smile. "I could always try being a film critic."

"Don't become the enemy!" he mock-cried, clutching his heart.

I giggled and shook my head. "I really don't know yet. For now, I'm going to try and be there for my father's campaign as much as I can."

His smile thinned and he fell silent. It started to worry me after a minute.

"Is this going to be a problem, Bella?" he finally asked, meeting my eyes again.

"What do you mean?"

"This. _Us_." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair again. "I had every intention of saying fuck it and pursuing you despite any issues it might cause. But I have a feeling there are enough people around you who don't give a fuck about what you want. So I want to make sure before we go any further that my being in your life is something you want and something that isn't going to cause a fuckton of problems for you."

My stomach flipped from everything he'd said. Not only did he seem to want more than a casual friendship with me, but he cared most about my happiness. Someone putting me first was a foreign concept to me. I wasn't quite sure how to register it, but my heart was pounding out of my chest as my desire for him skyrocketed.

If he wanted me to care for him, he was certainly saying the right things.

"Do you... um... want there to be an _us_?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Hope. Excitement. Butterflies.

I wondered if he could sense the crazy emotions rushing through me.

"How will this work, though?" I asked. We lived on opposite coasts for one thing.

He smiled and shrugged. "We'll figure it out as we go. Just like you said, you aren't going to Boston. So I guess that leaves you open to some travel." He cocked his head. "Right?"

I bit my lip and nodded.

His mouth opened a little, his stare intense. "_Fuck_," he said softly before adjusting in his seat and shaking his head.

_What was that all about?_

"Anyway, I have a few weeks off before I go on another shoot. I'll be on location in Vancouver for about eight weeks and then I only have promo until next year. The promo will be a little brutal with two films coming out, but I don't know... if we're still _whatever_... you could always be there _with_ me."

_With_ him. That sounded good.

"Promo? Like red carpets and parties?"

He laughed. "Well, that's the glamorous side, I suppose. There's also the endless mind-numbing interviews, press conferences, jetlag, TV appearances. It's tedious as fuck, but part of the process." He blew out a breath. "Anyway, that's all a few months away. No need to decide anything now."

The uncertainty in his voice made me pause.

Was he nervous about extending such a big invitation? Was he regretting it already?

I decided it was best to try and take the pressure off.

"You're right. There's plenty of time to decide." I smiled. "And your birthday is coming up soon?"

His foot nudged mine under the table. "You sound like you already know the answer to that one. You _have_ been checking me out, haven't you?"

"Not really. I mean, just a little. Just the basics." I tried to keep my promise to him not to believe any gossip, so I'd avoided delving too deep into online information about him. But I did check out his Wikipedia page.

He laughed. "It's okay. I did the same about you." He sighed and looked up at the sky. "Fuck. Yeah, my birthday is next week. I'm going to be twenty-eight." He rubbed his face. "That seems really old."

"That's not old at all."

His eyes met mine again. "It is in actor years. Sometimes I feel like I'm an old man."

I could almost hear the exhaustion in his voice.

"But aren't you happy? Isn't this what you want to be doing? Aren't you the most successful actor out there right now?"

He smirked at me. "I sound like a dick bitching about shit, right?"

I shook my head. "No. That's not what I meant."

"I know. I know," he interrupted. "It's just that I realize how it looks if I complain about things. I love about ninety percent of what I do. My life. It's the fucking ten percent that tends to overshadow the rest at times."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like never being able to go out like a normal person. I have to go through a shitload of hoops to avoid paps, and they usually catch up with me at some point anyway. It's like being under a fucking microscope whenever I walk out the door." His eyes pinned me. "That's something you have to consider now, as well."

I nodded. "I have considered it."

"It's a constant circus," he continued. "An intrusive nuisance that's impossible to shrug off. They are nosy fuckers and will stop at nothing to get a reaction. Get a money shot. Get a quote."

"Is that why they were calling me names and asking if you were cheating when we left the club that night?"

He rolled his eyes. "They really don't know anything. It's funny to see what's written about me in the tabs most of the time. Even my mother will confront me occasionally and ask about some girl I've supposedly knocked up or wedded on the sly. I usually just keep my mouth shut and let them all think what they want."

My stomach churned a little at that. "So you're not with that Kate actress, right?"

He looked stunned that I would ask, but I had to know. I couldn't be just one of his groupies.

"No. Fuck, no. I wouldn't..." He shook his head and glared down at his clenched fist, muttering to himself about _slimy bastards_ and _what the hell was she supposed to think_. He finally lifted his head to meet my eyes again. "Kate and I are friends. Very close friends. We always were. We never had anything beyond that. Both of us were urged to allow the press and fans to assume what they wanted, and it certainly helped the studio's agenda for everyone to believe their two stars were living out a real-life romance. But that was never reality. She and I have both had relationships with others under wraps over the last few years." He leaned forward, reaching out to take my hand across the table. "I haven't been with _anyone_ for almost a year now. The last woman I _dated_ was in a movie I filmed over two years ago. Nobody even knew we were together, and we ended it mostly as friends."

I couldn't help the grin forming on my face. It was like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders as he eased the lingering doubts in my mind.

I squeezed his hand. "Thank you for telling me that."

His revelation not only erased my biggest concern, but it also lightened the mood. The conversation turned into flirting and playful banter as he helped me clear the table and return the dishes to the kitchen.

I'd never had more fun cleaning up after a meal before.

But my heart started racing when the last plate was placed in the dishwasher and I led him toward the den.

_What was going to happen next?_

"What do you want to do now?" I asked.

He licked his bottom lip, and my knees wobbled as he crept closer.

"Uh... well... "I continued, my voice shaking a little. "I have movies? Games?"

I didn't really want to do anything except climb on top of him, but normal people waited until date number three for sex.

_Right?_

We'd only gotten through half a real date.

It was possible I had some inner tramp tendencies I just hadn't been aware of before Edward.

He stopped right in front of me, putting his hands on the wall on either side of my head and leaned down until we were eye level.

_Did it suddenly get hot in here?_

His gaze fell to my lips. "What kind of game do you want to play with me?"

_What? Game?_

My mind went a little fuzzy when he was this close.

_Did he do this on purpose?_

"I... uh..."

He moved in even closer, his mouth next to my ear. It was hard to talk, hard to breathe, hard to think with him surrounding me like this.

"Where's your bedroom, Bella?"

I gulped. Apparently he wasn't aware of the third date rule.

"It's not too fast?"

He let out a chuckle, and I shivered from his hot breath on my ear. In my hair.

"We were all over each other within minutes of meeting." His hands left the wall, sliding down to hold my waist. "I want you. I fucking _crave _you. I have from the start. I don't know why, but I think..." He broke off, nibbling on my ear. "I think we were meant to find each other in that closet. So if _you_ want _me_, all you have to do is take me."

_If_ I wanted him? How was it possible not to?

I knew what was about to happen would change me forever. I didn't think it possible for me to just share my body with Edward. It felt so different from what I'd done with James.

I knew I was about to give Edward part of my heart.

It was dangerous to willingly take this step. To know how much he could hurt me.

But I had to try. I'd promised myself to follow my heart with Edward and my heart was telling me to grab everything I could.

_While_ I could.

His hands were still on my waist as he placed soft kisses on my neck, and I lifted my arms to run my fingers through his hair, loving the small groan he released. The fact he seemed as attracted to me as I was to him was like a miracle.

I wanted this. I wanted _him_.

In my bed. And in other places.

Or at least one place.

I shook my head at myself. I even rambled in my head. And he was still waiting on an answer.

I could do this. I could say it. I could take what I really wanted.

So I blurted out the first thing that popped into my head.

"Yes... you... want. I mean... I want you. I do." _I do? No, no, no_. "Not _I do_ in a matrimonial kind of way. Just in a premarital, two single people, non-licensed, free love, fornicating kind of way."

_Oh. My. God._

I wanted to die. Right there in a puddle on the floor. Wicked Witch of the West style.

_Did I really say fornicating?_

His kisses stopped and the silence was heavy. I cringed, waiting for his laughter to break out and for him to sprint to the nearest exit.

What was he doing wasting his time with me?

He pulled back, but I closed my eyes. I couldn't look at his face, especially with my cheeks burning in embarrassment.

"Hey," he said, nuzzling my nose with his. "Look at me."

I opened up and only saw a caring expression.

"You're nervous."

I gave a little nod. "I am, but I want to be with you. I'm just embarrassed. I... I... can't help it. My rambling and saying off-the-wall stuff. I'm sorry. It comes out at the worst times."

"Don't you dare apologize. I fucking love your rambling." His hand slid around the back of my neck and he kissed me hard. "Don't ever be embarrassed about what happens between us. It's these quirks that make it all fun. And believe me, I have plenty of quirks."

I didn't believe him at all.

"Name one."

"I curse like a sailor, I tug on my hair and bite my nails when I'm nervous, I can lose my temper at the drop of a hat, I'm a possessive bastard, I hate the smell of fabric softener, I love to scratch my balls... do you want me to keep going?"

I laughed at his silly smile. "You scratch your... um..."

"Say _balls_, Bella."

I shook my head and bit my lip. His expression quickly changed from silly to predatory, his eyes flickering to my mouth.

"_Fuck_. Tell me again you want this."

"I do."

By the time the second word had left my mouth, he had me pressed against the wall, his lips devouring mine.

There was no more nervousness as he lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around him. It was more of a destruction path. We were a frenzy of kisses, moans, and roaming hands while I tried to direct him toward my bedroom.

There were several paintings tilted and one very expensive vase broken along the way when he paused for a break and had me perched on top of a hallway table.

"This better be your room, or I'm fucking you against this wall," he said.

We'd finally reached it.

"It is." I panted and groaned when his fingers slipped back under my panties.

It felt like he sprinted across the room because before I knew it we were on the bed and he was pulling my dress up and off of me.

I surprised myself. Instead of trying to cover up or feeling self-conscious as I lay there in my bra and panties, I enjoyed the way his eyes seemed to eat me up.

I felt sexy. Desired.

"Fuck, you're beautiful," he rumbled, straddling my legs and sitting up on his knees, gazing down at me.

I might not have been able to see the same image he did, but what was reflected in his face and eyes, what was reflected in his words... it all made me feel beautiful.

I closed my eyes when his hands moved along my stomach, waist, up along my ribcage. A moan escaped when he cupped my breasts, his thumbs rubbing my nipples.

His face was soon buried in the crook of my neck again, his hands slipping under me to unclasp my bra.

"I fucking love the sounds you make," he rasped. "Don't hold back. Let me hear you. I'm going to fuck you until your neighbors know my name."

He seemed to know exactly what to say and do to turn me into a writhing, aching mess. His hands and mouth were everywhere as my bra and panties disappeared. I wasn't sure if I was being loud enough for him or not, but I did nothing to restrain myself with him all over me.

Especially when his face was suddenly between my legs, his hands pushing my thighs apart.

_Holy_...

His tongue. On me. In me.

"_Ahhh_..." I was making some sort of noise, but I couldn't think straight. I reached down, my fingers gripping his hair.

I wanted him to keep going. Stop. _Keep going_.

I didn't even know anymore. It felt so good. Too good.

_How could anything feel so amazing?_

My back arched off the bed, my hips bucking up.

His fingers slid inside me. "That's it, baby. You're trembling. You're close."

I was. So close.

His tongue returned. Teasing, flicking, tasting. And I exploded, my body tingling from head to foot as the most intense orgasm of my life rolled through me.

"I knew you'd taste good everywhere."

I opened my eyes to find his face hovering over mine. Then I felt the weight of his body. His _naked_ body. I didn't know when he stripped himself, but I was sorry I missed it.

His lips crashed down on mine, and I stroked his back, his muscles straining and tensing under my touch. I whimpered in his mouth when I felt him hard against me, so close to being where I wanted him.

I wiggled, bending my knees, trying to angle myself to take him in when I felt the tip of him at my entrance. He groaned, breaking our kiss and panting in my ear.

"_Please_." I was aching for him at this point.

"Hold on, baby. Let me get a condom."

I tightened my grip, wrapping my legs around him and shaking my head. "No. You don't need it. I'm on the pill."

"_Really_?" The surprise was evident in his voice.

"Yes." I moaned as he slipped in a little deeper.

"_Fuck_," he groaned. "Bella, you should still make me wear one. I'm clean, but it's not like you know that." His tensed breathing against my neck, as he held himself back, was prickling my skin. "Fuck. _Jesus_. You feel too good. I'll lecture you later."

With that he was kissing me again, his tongue sliding along mine while he pushed inside me. It felt good as he rocked, moving deeper and deeper.

I cried out, and he stopped his kisses. It suddenly felt like he was splitting me in two.

"Relax," he murmured, his lips brushing my cheek, my jaw, my neck. "Almost there."

"You're not all the way in yet?" I panicked.

Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea.

"Bella, look at me."

I opened my eyes, his right in front of me as he pressed his forehead to mine.

"Relax for me." His thumb brushed along my bottom lip.

He kissed me, over and over, until my body loosened again. I was distracted enough by his mouth and taste, that I barely felt the pain when he stilled, his hips flush against me.

"_See?_" he asked, his voice strained.

Yes, I did see. We fit. Barely.

His arms slid under my shoulders, his lips next to my ear. "I have to move, baby." He pulled out some and pushed back in when I nodded. "God, you feel so good."

I found myself agreeing. This wasn't the sex I'd known before, this was more. So much more. The initial pain was eventually replaced with slick warmth as our bodies gently moved together. He wasn't forceful—although I already knew the potential was there—only shallowly moving in and out of me.

"Does it feel good?" he asked, removing an arm from underneath me and sliding his hand between us.

"Ahh, _yes_."

His fingers stimulating right _there_ definitely felt good. He tilted his hips, hitting a different place inside me and I cried out. Not from pain, but from pleasure.

"Yes, _there_." I was so close to coming undone.

His fingers, his mouth, his... _everything_... it was incredible. I dug my heels into his backside, moaning loudly when I came apart again.

"Fuck. God. _Yes_," he said, his arm moved back under my shoulder, his weight pinning me beneath him.

He thrusted harder, his own release coming when the tingles from mine were starting to wane. He moaned into my neck, stilling and then rocking gently as a warm sensation filled me.

_Mmmm_. Something else that felt really good.

My legs fell to the side, and I brushed my fingers through his sweaty hair. I liked the dreamy afterglow, still melded together. The way his relaxed body covered mine.

He finally lifted his head, a half-grin on his face. "That was fucking excellent."

I laughed when he started leaving playful kisses all over my face, managing to finagle my body out from under his.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked when I moved to get up off the bed.

I pointed toward the door. "We left the door open, and I really don't want Rose or your brother walking in here when they get back."

He rolled over onto his back, putting his hands behind his head, and I felt his eyes watching my every move. After I shut the door, I paused halfway back to the bed.

It was hard not to gawk. Edward Cullen, in all his naked perfection, was blissfully sprawled out on my bed.

_I had just been sexed up by Edward Cullen_.

"What?" he asked.

"Edward Cullen is in my bed," I mumbled.

He snorted and crooked his finger. "Edward Cullen is about to be chasing you around this room if you don't get your fine ass back over here."

As soon as I neared, he snatched me up, pulling me to rest on top of him.

"Now... I think I was lecturing you about something earlier," he started, making me gulp. "I don't care if you're on birth control, you should make any guy you're with use a condom."

He was right. That was stupid of me. But it felt good.

"Actually, scratch that." At the irritation in his voice, I glanced up at his face. "You're not sleeping with anybody else, so forget I said anything. Fuck that." His arms squeezed me. "No fucking anybody else. Only me. Right?"

I nodded.

"Good." He let out a happy sigh. "But I was surprised you're on the pill."

I shrugged. "I have been since I was sixteen. My mother insisted."

"_What_?" He sounded annoyed again. "Were you even having sex?"

"No. I told you I'd only been with James and that was about a year ago."

"Then why would she put you on the pill?"

"Just in case."

"_Just in case_?"

I blew out a gust of air. "The only sin worse than premarital sex, according to my mother, would be if I'd gotten pregnant out of wedlock. It would have been too scandalous for my father."

He was silent for a minute. "I'm sorry, but that's fucked up."

It may have been, but I didn't know any different. My life had always been about what was best for my father's career.

The subject matter had put a definitive sour note on my otherwise happy night, so I wanted to redirect the conversation.

I snuggled closer. "Tell me something about yourself you've never told anyone else."

He shifted us, rolling our bodies until he was partially on top, and burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"I'm a cuddler. A _goddamn_ cuddler."

That was the last thing I expected him to say, and his angry tone made me giggle.

"Why do you sound so mad about it?"

He held me tighter, nudging his leg between mine. "I'm a fucking man. I'm not supposed to want to cuddle and shit. But you're so soft and warm. And you fucking smell good."

"I probably need a shower." I felt a little wet and sticky from sex. I wasn't sure how _good_ I could possibly smell.

"Mmmm," he hummed, sucking on my neck. "We smell good together. And I'm going to have you again in a minute, so no showers."

_Again?_

* * *

**AN: Anybody else want to be sexed up by Edward Cullen? **

**Next up is the girls' date with B's grandfather. Edward is going to invite himself along (and Emmett too). It should make for an interesting time. **

**I hope you all are having a great holiday season! **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one. **

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Dancing in the Dark by jaxon22**

**Head over Feet by iambeagle**

**Outbound by aftrnoondlight**

**Wisp by Cris**


	8. Chapter 8 The Intentions

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, Iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Intentions **

"You have great tits."

His mumbled words were the first thing I heard the next morning when I awoke to his fondling hands. He was curled around me, my back to his chest, and might have still been half asleep.

It was no wonder since he'd kept me up most of the night.

Three times.

We had sex _three times_ in one night.

_Was that even allowed?_

I didn't know. The only thing I was sure of was that every part of my body below my waist ached. Places I didn't even know existed were hurting.

He kissed my neck, grinding against my backside as his hand moved south of the border.

I wanted him. I did. How could I not? But I was sore enough to cringe when he touched me down there.

"Good morning," he murmured, continuing his kisses.

I blew out a breath, trying to ignore the pain. He was obviously up for another round. I felt how aroused he was.

I could do this.

"Morning," I answered.

He groaned again, his fingers more insistent, and I bit my lip not to cry out in pain.

Before I could blink, his hands disappeared and he turned me on my back. He hovered over me, his expression dark and angry.

"Don't fucking do that. Not with me."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "What?"

"You know exactly what. You're sore. You're flinching when I touch you. And instead of telling me, you're going along to please me. Don't fucking group me in with your parents, or that dipshit James, or anybody else you always go along with despite what you want. Fuck that shit. If you don't like what I'm doing or don't want to do something with me or it doesn't feel good, then tell me _no_. Fucking scream it in my face if you want. But don't just go along because you think it's what I want you to do."

_Was he right? Was I being the doormat girl again?_

He probably hated that girl as much as I did.

I wanted to be strong. I did. It was just that sometimes it was hard to figure out which things I needed to put my foot down about.

I tried to hold them back, but tears still welled in my eyes from his anger. I didn't want him to be mad at me.

"I'm sorry."

His expression immediately changed from angry to apologetic.

He leaned down, leaving soft kisses on my lips. "No. _Fuck_. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. Please don't cry." He dropped back down to the bed, pulling me to him in a fierce hug. "I'm a shit. I told you I lose my temper easily. I just want you to think of yourself first sometimes."

It was hard not to notice the similarity between Edward and James—in that they were both quick-tempered—however the difference was glaring.

James got angry at me for not doing what _he_ wanted. On the other hand, Edward got angry with me for not doing what _I_ wanted.

At the heart of it, Edward's intentions were good.

I hugged him back, and the two of us were silent for a few minutes, wrapped around each other. When he pulled away to look at me, he was frowning.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. You were right. I am... _sore_." My cheeks heated remembering everything we'd done to cause the soreness.

"Do you regret last night?"

My mouth dropped open and I clutched him tighter. How could he think that?

"No. Not at all. Not even a little. It... it was... more than anything." _More than anything?_ "I mean... it was amazing. Awesome really. Or better than that even. Yeah."

_Ugh_.

I shook my head at myself, but when I glanced at his face again, he was grinning. I liked that a lot better than the frown.

"Let me help you out on the _better than awesome_. The phrase you're looking for is _fucking awesome_. Fuck is an excellent word to use in most every situation."

I giggled at his unhealthy obsession with that particular word.

He pulled me close again, nuzzling my neck. "I love that fucking sound. Not as much as your sex sounds, but close." His hand slid down my back, and he groaned when it reached my butt. "Okay, I better get out of this bed. You're much too tempting, and there'll be no sex today."

My heart fell. "So you're leaving?" This was what I was afraid would happen.

He lifted his head and cocked his eyebrow. "Not unless you're kicking me out. I was thinking more of taking a shower and then feeding us."

His eyes narrowed when I sighed in relief.

"I'm not here just to fuck you, Bella. Get that idea out of your head. If I only wanted sex, I could get that anytime."

Now I wanted to kick myself. He sounded a little offended, and he was right. Again.

"Sorry. I really am. This is all new to me."

He looked confused. "You were with D.W. all that time."

"It was different. It was a label of a relationship, not a real one. I didn't care about him, or if he was here or not. In fact, it was preferable when he wasn't."

"But you care about me."

I didn't have time to be embarrassed about putting my feelings out there because his lips were pressed to mine immediately. He kissed me and kissed me and kissed me some more, perhaps letting me know in his own way that he cared for me back.

At least that was what I was hoping.

"Mmm, _fuck_." He broke away, breathing hard. "Okay. I'm only so strong. I can't be good forever with you naked underneath me." He grinded into my thigh. "My dick is harder than a rock, so I need to go take care of this in the shower."

I probably turned bright red because he burst out laughing. The man had no shame or modesty.

He moved away, stretching a little as he stood beside the bed. I could only stare at his... um... _general_ standing at attention.

It was the first time I'd gotten a good look in full daylight.

_Holy..._

It was no wonder I was so sore.

Suddenly his smirking face appeared in my line of sight when he leaned down over the bed. "What are you staring at, Bella?"

"Nothing. I... I wasn't." I wanted to disappear into the mattress for getting caught.

He laughed again. "Why don't you go take some Advil or something and then meet me in the shower? I'll kiss it and make it all better."

"Kiss _what_?"

His smile widened. "Your sweet little _pussy_." He turned and sauntered off toward my bathroom, chuckling at my stunned silence.

I was beginning to think half the things that fell out of his mouth were simply to see me flustered. He seemed to like shocking me.

As soon as he was out of sight, and had turned on the water, I grabbed his pillow and covered my face. Despite his penchant for making me squirm, just having his smell so close made me happier than I'd ever felt in my life.

Every touch, every kiss, every murmur and moan from the night before flooded my mind, and I screamed into the pillow to release some of my pent up emotions. He overwhelmed me, but in such a good way.

He was bigger than life in everything he did. Everything he said. He made me feel so alive.

_How had I gotten so lucky?_

Even though I was aching, I felt like nothing could put a damper on this day.

Boy was I wrong.

My phone buzzed on my nightstand with a text, and I scrambled out of the bed when I read the message from Rose.

**CODE RED**

_Oh. My. God._

I ran to my closet as fast as my sore legs could carry me, grabbing a robe and slipping it on. I didn't even have time to warn Edward before there was an impatient knocking on my bedroom door.

_How did she get here so fast?_

Rose must not have been able to text me until _she_ was already in the apartment. I was going to have to revoke her privileges of being able to bypass the front desk in the lobby.

I pulled the door open to find my scowling mother on the other side.

"You look like death warmed over," she said, shaking her head.

I wanted to tell her this is what happened after having sex three times in one night. It was possible she'd never had sex three times in her whole life.

"I was just about to get into the shower. Why did you stop by?"

I prayed I could get her to leave before Edward finished.

She huffed. "Your father and I are in New York, and I wanted to take you to lunch. We need to talk."

_No, no, no, no, no._

This couldn't be happening.

"I... uh... I actually have plans already." A perfect excuse popped into my head. "With Grandfather. We're meeting today."

At least I hoped we were. I would have to call him as soon as she left.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. She didn't much care for her father-in-law. Not many people in this world pleased Renee Swan.

"We're only here for today. You can reschedule with him."

My stomach twisted. I was running out of time and knew it'd be easier just to give in. The longer I stood here arguing, the more likely Edward was going to stroll out naked or something.

I opened my mouth to tell her I'd go, but was interrupted by a shout from the shower.

"Bella! You better not have fallen back asleep. Get your ass in here so I can take care of you!"

My mother's face went ashen and her mouth dropped open. I had no idea what to say or do. This was really not the ideal way to inform one's parents about a new love interest.

Especially _my_ parents.

I was quickly propelled from frozen indecisiveness to action when Edward started singing.

"_Aaah, pussy control, oh. Aaah, pussy control, oh_."

I pushed my horrified mother out of the doorway and into the hall, closing my bedroom door behind us.

"What? _Who?_" she sputtered as I took her arm and led her toward the front door.

I just kept pulling her toward the door, trying to figure out something to say. I was a little worried she had entered some shock-induced stupor because of her eerie silence. As we neared the entryway, Rose came around the corner from the kitchen.

_Please God, don't let Emmett be right behind her_.

I didn't know how many more surprises Mother could take.

Rose stood there watching us, her eyes wide as she tried to hide a smile. My mother suddenly stopped and turned to face me.

"_What _is going on here, Isabella? Have you turned this place into some kind of _brothel_? Who _was_ that in your shower?" Her shrill questions made me wince.

I summoned every bit of my strength and took a deep breath. "It's Edward. Edward Cullen. He and I are together."

"_Together_? What does that mean _together_?"

_Ugh_.

I didn't even have a full grasp on the exact nature of our relationship yet, but was already being forced to define it.

"He's my... uh..."

"Boyfriend," Rose supplied.

Mother ignored her, as usual, narrowing her eyes at me. Rose promptly stuck her tongue out and made devil's horns at the back of her head.

I just shrugged and nodded at Rose's description. It was better than nothing.

"This is _ridiculous_," she spat. "I did not raise you to behave this way." She pointed her finger in my face. "I will not allow you to bring down your father's campaign with gossip and scandal."

I wanted to scream. To cry. Maybe even to smack her face a time or two.

"It _isn't_ scandalous. We're together. I'm allowed to be with someone who makes me happy."

She shook her head. "And the bruise on your face? Is that making you _happy_?"

My mouth gaped. Obviously, my father hadn't informed her of what happened.

"Edward didn't do that. That was James!"

My confession took a little wind out of her sails as she stepped back.

"I don't believe you."

Of course, she wouldn't.

"Then ask Father or Alec. They know the truth." I sighed and opened the door. I was sad and tired and couldn't take any more of this conversation. "I'm sorry I can't have lunch today. I'll set up a time to get together in a few days."

She huffed a few times, but didn't say anything more before walking out. I blew out a gust of air and leaned against the door after I closed it behind her.

"Don't let her ruin this for you," Rose said.

I lifted my head to find her sending me a sad smile. It was good advice, but it was impossible for me not to feel torn up inside after one of my mother's rants.

"There you are."

Rose and I both turned our heads as Edward came around the corner.

Wearing only a towel.

_Sweet Baby Jesus_.

My stomach flipped and my cheeks burned.

Rose chuckled. "I'll... uh... leave you guys alone."

"Where did you go? I've been waiting on you."

I tried to focus on his face as he stood in front of me, and not his chest, or abs, or the trail of hair that led down under the towel wrapped around his hips.

_Was he trying to kill me?_

"My mother. She... um... she was here."

"_Really?_"

My traitorous eyes darted back up to his face. "Mmm hmm. She heard you in the shower."

He ran his hand through his hair. "Shit. Sorry about that."

"It's not your fault. She should have called before barging in."

He brushed my cheek with his fingers. "Are you okay?"

I smiled at his sweetness. "Yeah." I wasn't sure if he believed me, but he nodded.

"Well, I came out here to grab my bag." He sent me a grin before picking it up off the floor. "It must have slipped my mind last night to bring it with me." With his other hand, he grabbed mine. "Come on. You can get in the shower, and I'll have some brunch delivered after I get dressed."

I only limped a little as we made our way back to my bedroom, but Edward didn't fail to notice it.

He let me walk in ahead of him, smacking me lightly on the butt.

"I told you that you'd have no doubt after _I_ fucked you."

_Damn him_.

But I couldn't get rid of the smile on my face as I headed to the shower.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

Edward had kept his promise, ordering enough brunch for all four of us. Luckily, Emmett had slept right through my mother's surprise visit, making use of one of the guest rooms. He only joined us at the first whiff of food.

It was different, yet nice, having the both of them around. They were loud, crass, more than occasionally inappropriate, but made the atmosphere in the apartment more fun than it had ever been before.

And neither of them seemed to want to leave our sides.

Nervous butterflies flew in my stomach as I took one last glance in the mirror. After my shower, I'd called my grandfather to set up our date. We'd agreed to meet for dinner tonight, and when I'd brought the subject up with Rose as we ate, Edward had invited himself and his brother along.

It would not only be the first time we'd planned to go out in public together, but he was also formally meeting someone in my family. That was kind of a big deal to me, even if Edward seemed laid back about it all.

I checked my bruise again, making sure the makeup I'd applied kept it covered.

"You look beautiful," Edward said, stepping up behind me, our eyes meeting in the mirror.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked again.

"Yeah, I want to meet your Gramps. Your parents already adore me."

I giggled. "Well, I meant more the part where we'd be seen out together. You're positive you want to do this?"

His face turned serious, and he spun me around to face him. "My managers, my publicist, my family all know I'm here. With _you_. The bigger question is whether _you're_ sure you're ready to be seen with _me_. That quick exit we made from the club the first night is nothing at all compared to what will happen. Are _you_ positive you want to do this?"

He was scaring me a little, but ultimately there was only one thing I could say.

"Yes."

He stared at me for a few moments and nodded. "Okay. Give me the number of the restaurant. I have to set some things up before we get there. If we're doing this, I'm going to keep you as protected as possible for as long as I can. I talked to Jane earlier, and I don't think the paps know I'm in New York yet since we took a private plane from L.A. All's quiet so far, which is good, but it'll change tonight. You get to meet Demetri."

"Who's that?"

"My main bodyguard."

The word bodyguard made it all seem more real. It sounded really serious.

"Where's he now?"

"A hotel close by. I didn't think you'd want him here." He laughed and dialed the number I gave him. "He's a good guy. You'll like him."

I watched him as he talked to one of his managers, asking them to arrange private areas and agreements of security. The lengths he had to go for a simple dinner were starting to sink in.

It was no wonder he preferred to stay in.

During the conversation, he sat on the bed and pulled me down next to him. His fingers kept creeping up higher and higher up my leg, my heart beating faster every inch he moved under my skirt.

He covered the phone and leaned over to whisper in my ear. "Is your pussy still sore? We have time for more kisses."

I blushed and pushed his hand away. We needed to have a talk about his decorum in front of my family. He'd already almost killed my mother.

I waited until his call was finished and faced him.

"Edward, you can't use the P word in front of my grandfather." I hurried on when he opened his mouth to retort. "Or any other words referring to female anatomy... _or_ male anatomy. Actually, all anatomy is off limits."

"The _P_ word?" He laughed, cocked his head, and grinned. "What the fuck are we supposed to talk about then?"

"No F word either. You have to understand. My family is uber-conservative. Even though my grandfather is more easygoing than my parents, he's still very straight-laced. We just don't talk about sex. Never. I've yet to be convinced that I wasn't conceived by artificial insemination. When I was a child and asked my mother about sex, she told me it was what people did in California."

He snorted. "Well, she's right about that."

I shook my head. I didn't think I was getting my point across very well.

"Okay, fine," he said. "No pussy talk in front of your grandpa. But I'm still going to finger you under the table."

My mouth fell open

"Pick one, Bella. I have only so much willpower. Do you want me to control my mouth or my fingers?"

"Can't you pretend this is a role? A role where you are playing an old-fashioned gentleman or something?"

"Even old-fashioned gentlemen had dicks. And if they had dicks, they were ruled by them. Trust me. I guarantee none of those _proper_ fuckers would have a problem fingering their girlfriend under a table."

My eyes widened, and not from his vulgarity. I was getting used to that a little bit.

It was because he used the word _girlfriend_.

_Did he even realize it?_

I could feel the rambling questions bubbling up in my throat, fortunately I was saved from embarrassment when Rose yelled out for us to hurry up.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Yeah, I was.

I took his hand and nodded, allowing him to help me off the bed. We met up with Rose and Emmett, the four of us taking the elevator down to the underground garage. We got to meet Demetri immediately, since he was waiting for us in the SUV.

He seemed to be a man of few words, answering mostly with nods or shakes of his head. He seemed rather docile, until we stopped in front of the restaurant. He jumped out first, letting Rose and Emmett by and walking right in front of me and Edward.

It was definitely something I'd have to get used to.

Edward kept my hand in his as we walked in, and it seemed the entire restaurant went quiet. I'd never experienced anything like it. Every eyeball in there was focused on us, and I fidgeted nervously as we were immediately led by a manager to a private room.

I felt much better when we arrived to find Grandfather already seated and waiting for us. He stood, hugging both me and Rose to him at the same time.

"How are my girls?"

"Good," we both told him.

"I've missed you two. Thanks for meeting me tonight."

Rose was already emotional. She loved my grandfather so much. He and I were really the only family she had aside from her brother. And Grandfather took care of her like she was his own. I let them have their private hello and reached for Edward's hand to bring him closer.

"Grandfather, I'd like you to meet our friends," I said after they'd quieted down. "This is Edward and Emmett Cullen.

His arm tightened around me and his eyes narrowed as they darted between the two of them. I almost laughed. It was the first time I'd seen Edward appear the least bit nervous.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

My eyes widened at Edward's greeting. He really _was_ capable of being a gentleman when he wanted to.

That lasted until we were all seated and his hand found my thigh under the table. I whispered to him to behave while Emmett and Rose occupied my grandfather during appetizers. He proceeded to tickle the inside of my knee until I was a squirming mess.

"Rosebud, when is your brother due back?"

According to Rose, her older brother, Jasper, had taken the death of their parents even harder than she had. They'd both been killed in the North Tower on September 11, 2001. After graduating from high school, Jasper had enlisted in the army and had been serving ever since.

"He's actually supposed to be home in a couple months. Hopefully for good."

"He's not planning to go back?"

She shook her head, and I smiled over at her. "No, at least that's what he's telling me now. I think he's ready to move on and try something different."

Edward and Emmett both wore slightly confused expressions, but didn't pry for any details.

Grandfather pulled three envelopes out of his pocket, handing two over to Rose and one to me.

"You give that one to him when he gets back. I'm glad he'll have cause to use it sooner rather than later. And these are your graduation gifts."

Rose and I both opened at the same time, each of us letting out simultaneous gasps.

He'd basically set us up monetarily for life.

"This... this is too much," I said.

Rose was speechless.

"No, it's not too much. It's mine to give. I'd rather give it to you now, when I can see you enjoy it, rather than in a will after I'm gone. I'm so proud of you both, and I wanted you to be able to work, live, or play as you wished. Not necessarily the lives others envisioned for you."

_Was he subtly referring to my parents?_

"The only request I have," he continued, "is that both of you use your brains and your resources to help those less fortunate than you. This money should allow you freedom to do anything you want, but I'd love to see the good you can do. Any foundations or charities you start or become involved with, I'd be very willing to also help with funding those."

We each took our turns giving him hugs, Rose's eyes full of tears. Dinner was served before we'd all calmed down and returned to our seats.

Edward's hand returned to my leg as soon as I sat again, and it warmed me up inside even more than the huge gift. He really was the most touchy feely person I'd ever met. Having someone around who constantly sought physical contact was just another in a list of new things I was becoming acclimated to.

"Now, babydoll, tell me how you got rid of the climber and came here with this actor fella?" Grandfather asked, grabbing my attention.

I glanced around the table and took a sip of wine. "Well, I broke things off with James. We never were really compatible. It was for the best."

"Is that why your father was upset with him at the rally?"

Edward let out a low growl and Rose snorted.

"Father had asked James not to be there. That's why he was mad when he saw he'd come anyway. But it's all fine now. It's all settled. I'm happy."

Grandfather turned from me to Rose. "Rosebud, what is she not telling me?"

"James hurt her," she said, not hesitating at all even though I was giving her the _be quiet_ eyes. "A couple times. He's a prick, and I'm glad Bella dumped him. She's happy with Edward."

"_Hurt her?_" His gazed honed in on me again. "Your father didn't mention that to me. What did that little bastard do?"

I grabbed his hand and squeezed. "It's fine. Really. It was nothing serious. What did you and Father discuss?"

He waved toward Edward. "He told me about _this_ one being in the picture."

I gulped. "He _did_?"

Edward shifted in his seat when Grandfather focused on him again.

"Yes, but he was mostly concerned about how it would impact the campaign. That isn't really my concern." He cleared his throat. "Son, what are _your_ intentions with my Isabella?"

I tried not to hyperventilate. I should have expected this type of interrogation. Edward was probably going to run for the hills as soon as he could.

Instead, he surprised me.

"I intend to keep her happy."

My grandfather was less impressed.

"Don't feed me bullshit lines. If you want to be with Isabella, there is no halfway. Do you understand that?"

I cringed. "Grandfather, _please_. We've only started dating."

Edward squeezed my leg. "It's okay. I don't want anything halfway either."

"And you're prepared to publicly say you're a couple?"

My stomach twisted waiting for Edward's response to that one.

"I don't talk about my relationships in the press."

Grandfather scowled. "Now, you listen here. There'll be no pussyfootin' around with her."

_Oh no, he didn't. My grandfather didn't use the P word, did he? _

Edward made a strangled noise and his fingers gripped my leg. I was afraid to look at his face.

"I'm not _pussy_footing anything."

I didn't miss the emphasis.

"I'm old, but I'm not stupid. I realize how you celebrities use the media to your advantage. Part of your appeal is the constant hope of fans believing you're available. That will no longer work. Not with Isabella. If you want her father to even begin to give you his blessing, then you'll have to treat this differently. That's what I meant about no halfway. There can be no tabloid sideshow of guessing if you two are together or not. So, you're either all the way in or all the way out. That's the only way it's going to happen."

I met Rose's eyes across the table, and she grinned at me.

_How could she be smiling?_

My grandfather was probably ruining my chances of being with Edward.

_How could he lay down this ultimatum?_

The silence around the table dragged on, my anxiety growing with each passing second. Even if I was a little perturbed at my grandfather for putting this out there, I also understood it would have been brought up sooner or later. He was being honest about my father's feelings and the ramifications any perceived impropriety could have on his bid for the presidency.

_Was this going to be the deal breaker for Edward?_

My heart was breaking a little at the thought that it was.

* * *

**AN: So what will Edward do? **

**Also, Pussy Control **_**is**_** an actual song. It's by Prince. Youtube it if you haven't heard it and want to know what Edward sounds like in the shower. lol **

**I hope you all are having a great holiday season! **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one. **

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Sideline Collision by Nolebucgrl **

**Sleep on the Floor by sexycereal**

**Good Deal by m7707**


	9. Chapter 9 The Conditions

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, Iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Conditions**

It was gray and overcast as I stared out the window from my table tucked in a private corner. The weather suited my sour mood while I waited reluctantly for my parents to join me. This hotel restaurant in Philadelphia was the last place I wanted to be.

I wanted to be home.

In my bed.

With Edward.

My lips curved up slightly at the thought of him waiting there for me. When I told him my father insisted on meeting me today—which required traveling to Pennsylvania—he'd assured me it wasn't a big deal. That he had no problem hanging out at my place until I got back.

It surprised me.

I'd thought he would want to fly back home to California, if for no other reason than to combat the utter boredom from being sequestered in my apartment for another day.

He was just full of surprises.

I sipped my tea and glanced at the time on my phone again with a sigh. It had been a chaotic few days since our dinner with my grandfather, and I was not only still reeling from Edward's response to the ultimatum laid down, but also from the mayhem ensuing as soon as our dinner was over.

_"I'm old, but I'm not stupid. I realize how you celebrities use the media to your advantage. Part of your appeal is the constant hope of fans believing you're available. That will no longer work. Not with Isabella. If you want her father to even begin to give you his blessing, then you'll have to treat this differently. That's what I meant about no halfway. There can be no tabloid sideshow of guessing if you two are together or not. So, you're either all the way in or all the way out. That's the only way it's going to happen."_

_The silence seemed to go on forever, but my heart stuttered when Edward linked his fingers with mine and spoke out._

"_I understand what you're saying, and I agree with that premise. Any hesitation I have right now isn't because I want to play media games, but because of the complete upheaval of Bella's life that will happen the minute my publicist confirms our relationship."_

"_She's going to be scrutinized whether you're in the picture or not."_

"_That's true, but this won't only be the media digging to find dirt because of her father. It will be by any and every fan with a camera on their phone. There will be no more quiet trips to the shop around the corner."_

"_And it will be the same if her father sits in the Oval Office. She knows her life's going to change."_

"_But the frenzy is unreal. I'm telling you, she'll immediately be loved by millions and likely hated by just as many."_

_The conversation volleyed back and forth until I couldn't take it any longer. It began to seem like I was invisible. Just some object to be bartered over with no input about my feelings. I hated being discussed as if I wasn't there. I got enough of that from my parents. _

"_Both of you, _stop it_. Please." I waited until they were both silent and focused on me, finally turning to my right. "Grandfather, this should have been a discussion between Edward and myself. It shouldn't have been brought up like this tonight." I turned to face the other way. "And Edward, I'm sorry, but if we are together, then certain allowances have to be given for how it affects my father's campaign. Ideally, everything between us should be kept only between you and me, but in reality, that will never happen. There will be interest—likely huge interest—in us, and I have to be somewhat open about it. Even though my father is the one ultimately judged by the voters, he appears more trustworthy if those closest to him aren't trying to hide things."_

_I took a deep breath, averting my eyes. "If you don't want to deal with that, I understand. Also, I realize you both are trying to protect me, but stop treating me like I'm made of glass and can't handle anything. I _can_."_

_It was so quiet around the table, you could have heard a pin drop. When I eventually looked back up, four sets of eyes were all glued on me._

_And I swore they all looked proud. _

"Isabella?"

I jumped a little at the voice interrupting my thoughts, finding Alec standing by the table.

"Hello, Alec."

He took a seat across from me, waving away the approaching server. "They'll be here in a few minutes."

I nodded and took another sip of tea. "How angry is he?"

Taking Edward out to meet my grandfather hadn't been the best idea in the world. We were bombarded with flashing cameras again as we left the restaurant and now the whole world seemed to know my name. My father had called me screaming the next day, irate that not only was I being requested for interviews by every media publication under the sun, but so was he.

Apart from that, my building was now surrounded by paparazzi, who were waiting for a sighting of me or Edward or both of us. This was the first time I'd been out in public in three days.

Alec's lips twitched despite the hardened expression he tried to give me. "Well, I think he wore himself out from being angry. It helped that Caius made him acknowledge the bright side... this is all likely to garner him a shitload more publicity than all the money his contributors could afford. And for free."

I gulped at the mention of Caius. He was my father's campaign manager and closest confidant. Caius Volturi could be a ruthless man when he wanted to be and had always scared me more than a little.

Then Alec's words sunk in. They were already talking about using my relationship with Edward to their advantage. I knew it was somewhat unavoidable, but it still made me uneasy.

My parents arrived before I could stew over it for long, taking seats on either side of me and ordering drinks. There were no affectionate greetings or hugs. Not that I expected them anyway. We were all silent until the server delivered their coffee and tea and left again.

"Thank you for coming today, Isabella."

I met my father's eyes and nodded.

His expression was a bit cold and callous, more so than usual. This was normally my mother's forte.

"If you are set on continuing to be with Edward, there are some things that must be resolved first."

"I still think it's ridiculous to allow it," Mother interrupted. "This whole mess could have been avoided if she'd stayed with James like she was supposed to." She turned toward me. "I've talked to him and he's sorry for his unacceptable behavior. He assures me he loves you and wants to take you back."

"Take _me_ back?" I sputtered. "I don't want anything to do with him."

"Lower your voice," Father said, glancing around.

I swallowed the urge to yell, gathering some strength from Alec's smile across the table.

"Renee, we've talked about this. Let's move past James Hearst and deal with the current problem."

I was happy my father was on my side about James, but I hated him referring to Edward as a problem. Mother crossed her arms and leaned back in a full pout.

I refrained from rolling my eyes.

"I discussed your dinner conversation with your grandfather. He seems to like Edward and believes he means well in regards to you," Father said, pleasantly surprising me with Grandfather's review. "Because of his approval of the boy, and the fact you seem to be taken with him, I'm not going to try and stand in your way."

Hope bloomed inside me.

"_But..._"

Of course there would be a caveat.

"These are my conditions."

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

I walked in the door to the sounds of shouts coming from somewhere in the penthouse. My nerves were shot and my mind heavy from long day of traveling and talking with my parents. The last thing I'd expected when I came home was a party.

I followed the loud noises to the den, stopping in stunned silence at what I found. Edward, Emmett, and some guy I'd never seen before were sprawled out on the couch and chairs, playing a videogame where buildings, cars, and even people kept getting blown up. There were pizza boxes, crumpled bags of chips, and beer bottles scattered everywhere.

Was this the boy version of a comfort day?

Edward and Emmett seemed to be having some sort of debate revolving around cheating and zombies, and the shouted curses coming out of their mouths would have made a sailor blush. I probably could have stood in the doorway all night and neither would have noticed my presence.

However, the new guy must have seen me in his periphery because his head whipped around in my direction, his eyes widening.

"Uh, Edward," he mumbled, pointing in my direction.

"What?" Edward snapped, eventually turning his head my way. His demeanor immediately changed from snarling to cheerful. "Hey! You're back. Come over here."

I sighed and gingerly side-stepped through the disaster area. He pulled me down to sit beside him when I neared.

"Let me just..." He broke off, his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth as he concentrated on the screen. A couple more loud explosions made me jump before Edward threw his controller at his brother. "Motherfucker!"

Emmett snickered. "It's not my fault that I'm superior to you in every way."

"Cheating bastard," Edward muttered. He turned toward me, putting his arm around my shoulders, and leaning in for a kiss. "I missed you today."

Despite being irritated at the mess, when he left a trail of kisses along my jaw and under my ear, I couldn't stop smiling.

"It looks like you've been plenty entertained," I told him.

He snorted. "I had to have something to do while you were away." He pulled my legs over his lap and attacked my neck with a vengeance.

Emmett made a gagging sound. "Come on, Mike. Let's go. Things are about to turn X-rated up in here."

I blushed and pushed Edward away. He might not have had any qualms about making out in front of others, but I wasn't comfortable with it.

No matter how good it felt.

"Where's Rose?"

Edward shrugged. "I think she called us some names and went shopping after the new TV was delivered."

I glanced over and shook my head at the gigantic TV and sound system taking up most of one wall. "What was wrong with the one that I had there?"

It was a perfectly fine flat screen. Rose and I had never had any problems with it when we wanted to watch movies.

"It was forty-six inches. This is sixty-five. I couldn't even see the screen on the other one."

I wasn't even sure how to respond to that. I chalked it up to another boy thing, which I would never understand.

I peeked over at the new guy briefly before leaning closer to Edward. "Who's that?" I whispered.

He laughed and held me tighter. "Mike Newton. He's an assistant. Mike, this is Bella. Bella, Mike."

Edward kept me in a vice grip, negating the possibility of shaking Mike's hand, but I smiled over at him and got one in return. He looked pretty young and non-threatening, with shaggy, blond hair and dimples.

"Assistant?" I asked, turning back to Edward.

"Yeah. I flew him out here to bring me some things."

My eyes widened. "He came all the way from California to _bring you some things_?"

He nodded as if it was nothing. "I needed clothes."

"I have a washing machine."

He looked at me like I had three heads.

I sighed and rubbed my temple. "Never mind."

He scratched his chin, his beard having grown in beyond what could be labeled scruff. "I needed some real razors, too. None of your girly shit."

I reached out and brushed it with my fingers. "You're shaving it?" I was almost disappointed.

Edward's grin turned mischievous, his hand slipping under my skirt and up my leg. "I thought you'd prefer me clean-shaven, but you like it, don't you?" He leaned in to murmur in my ear. "Does it feel good when I kiss you?" He chuckled when I started squirming, his fingers moving further up my thigh. "Or maybe it feels good when I go down on you?"

He had me practically panting, and I checked to make sure Emmett and Mike weren't paying attention to us.

His fingers crept higher, one sliding along the outside of my panties. "It feels good _here_, doesn't it?"

Okay, that was it. He had me worked up enough to take action.

We hadn't had sex again since our first night together, Edward never trying to push past a certain point. It had been days of kissing and cuddling and talking and holding... it was like the longest session of foreplay in history. I knew he was waiting for me to make the next move. For me to take initiative and make it clear I was ready to go again.

I was beyond ready.

After managing to wiggle out of his grasp, I stood up and pulled on his hand to follow me.

"Emmett, Mike... clean this shit up," Edward said as I led him out of the room.

I gave him a reproachful glance. "You should be helping them."

His arms snaked around my waist and he plastered himself right behind me. It might have been difficult to walk like that, but his kisses to my neck made it worthwhile.

"Cleaning is the last fucking thing on my mind right now."

I had a pretty good idea exactly what was on his mind when he grinded his hips against me. It was fortunate my mind was in the same place.

And I _was_ going to take charge this time.

When we neared the bed, I turned him around and pushed him to sit on the mattress. He looked surprised and excited at the same time. I grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up and off of him, tossing it to the floor.

He sat still, as if he was waiting to see what I would do next. My insides twisted with nerves, but I also felt somewhat powerful as stood there with every bit of his attention focused on me. I undid the buttons along the side of my dress, before letting it slip down my body and pool on the floor around my feet. His hungry eyes watching my every move encouraged me to try something I'd never done before.

I pushed him to lie back, crawling over him to kiss him like he always did with me. I started with his lips, moving next to his neck, loving the moaning sounds he made when I hit the right spots. His hands slid from my back to my hair as my lips made a path down his chest. My fingers were a little shaky as I worked to unfasten his shorts, but he lifted his hips when I tugged, and I managed to get him naked fairly easily.

I took a deep breath as I stared down at him hard and ready. This was one of those things you're never quite prepared for the first time, no matter how many times you may have seen it or read about it or imagined doing it before. My eyes flickered up to his face and he was still just watching me.

I wondered if he knew how nervous I was.

"Bella, you..."

"Shh," I interrupted. "Don't talk." He was going to mess up my concentration.

I wrapped my hands around him, his skin hot and smooth. He made some sound as I moved my fingers up and down, and I glanced up to find his lips parted and his eyes centered on me. I leaned down, swirling my tongue around his tip.

"_Fuck_."

I took that as a word of encouragement, moving my tongue down further. He sounded like he enjoyed it, so I boldly slipped my lips around him.

"Jesus. Fuck!"

A laugh slipped out of me from his exclamation, and I almost had to stop and regroup. But I kept it together, taking more of him in my mouth. I was giving myself internal high fives and pats on the back until I almost gagged about halfway down.

I was suddenly beginning to rethink this entire idea. How the hell was I supposed to fit that whole thing in my mouth? It was an impossible feat, and I obviously hadn't planned out my strategy very well.

It was clear I had no clue what I was doing.

His hand brushed my cheek. Did he sense my distress?

"Just like that." His fingers came around mine, moving them where my mouth couldn't reach.

I did what he said, his hand moving to hold my hair back and letting me go solo again. It helped when he kept telling me how great it felt or letting out another F word or ten.

I was back to feeling really good about my sexual abilities.

"Bella. _Fuck_. I'm gonna come."

That was my goal.

_Okay. Good._

In theory.

I was undecided. Did I stay there or move away? What was the protocol here?

At the last second, I lifted up. But not fast enough.

Instead of being concentrated in one spot—like my mouth, where it should have been—I ended up with his stuff everywhere. On my cheek, my forehead, and even my hair.

_My hair!_

I was Cameron Diaz in _There's Something About Mary_.

Edward laughed, and I was close to tears. He grabbed a tissue off my nightstand and pulled me tight against him in a hug.

"Don't be upset," he said, wiping off my face.

"That was awful," I cried. "I didn't do it right."

"Fuck that. You did it great." His chuckles died down. "You just have to work on the dismount."

"It's in my hair!"

He let out another laugh. "It's _protein_. Probably great for the roots." Then he scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder as he stood from the bed.

"What are you doing?" I slapped his back.

He didn't answer, toting me off toward the bathroom. He turned on the shower, putting me back on my feet when the water warmed up. My bra and panties were quickly removed as he kept me with him under the spray.

"I don't know what brought that on," he said, kneeling down in front of me. "But it felt fucking good and now it's time for you to feel good."

My embarrassment was quelled from the water and his words.

Oh, and his tongue.

He threw my leg over his shoulder, gripped my hips, and made me forget every care I had in the world.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

"Tell me what he said."

We were lying together in bed after our shower romp, and it was time to explain my father's stipulations.

"He's not going to stop me from seeing you."

He frowned. "He couldn't do that anyway. Unless you let him."

"I know. I just meant he's not going to make my life, or yours, unbearable." I ran my finger over his cheeks. "As long as we agree to a few things."

"Lay it on me. What does he want? A kidney? My left nut? "

I grinned at his smirking face. At least he was joking about it so far.

"First, he's hiring security for me. He's uncomfortable with the scrutiny I'm under already and thinks it will only get worse."

"It will."

I sighed. "Well, he's making arrangements to pay for bolstered security in this building and is also making arrangements for some type of personal guard or something."

Ugh. I hated the thought of having some goon hanging around me all the time.

"It's smart of him." He hugged me tighter. "There are some crazy fuckers out there and I'm not joking."

I took a deep breath. "Second, he wants to meet you."

"I figured." He blew a raspberry on my neck. "Pistols at dawn?"

I laughed. "Hopefully a bit more civilized." I pulled back to look at him. "He can be intimidating though."

"Yeah, I got that at the State Dinner. If looks could kill, I'd already be gone. But I think I'll be fine."

He was taking it all well so far. Better than I thought he would. I braced myself for the big one.

"Last, he wants your publicist to coordinate with his press secretary. I have to hand over control of all these media requests to Carmen, and he insists a solid message is sent out in some form through both camps."

He nodded slowly. "Well, there it is. Just like your gramps said."

My stomach twisted as I waited for his answer.

He nuzzled my nose. "If you're in, then I'm in."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him hard. "I'm definitely in."

He chuckled and kissed me back. It felt great to relax and just enjoy his attentive touches without the worry of what was to come.

Until he opened his mouth again.

"So, you know my birthday's in a couple days?"

I nodded and smiled.

"I'm planning to go back to California. Maybe tomorrow. I'll probably spend it with my family and a couple friends."

I tried not to let those words hurt me, no matter how much they did anyway, and I forbade the tears that wanted to fall. We might have cleared up some obstacles between us, but it didn't mean we would always be together.

Of course he would want to be with his family and friends on his birthday. It wasn't like I could keep him trapped here with me at my place any longer. But having him next to me, almost in constant contact for so many days now, meant it was going to be hard for me to let go.

It was unnerving how the close confines had made me dependent on him already.

Stupid Bella.

I pushed all my emotions down and met his eyes again to muster a smile.

He brushed a piece of hair from my face and kissed me, almost making me feel better.

"Do you want to come with me?"

* * *

**AN: Bella's a trooper in the bedroom! Anybody else want to meet the rest of the Cullens? Anybody else want to bitchslap Renee?**

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one. **

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**It's all angst this week! Grab some tissues and a bottle of wine. **

**Honest Liar by aWhiteBlankPage**

**Cracks in the Pavement by VampiresHaveLaws (complete)**

**Unrequited by Perry Maxwell (complete) **


	10. Chapter 10 The Birthday

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Birthday **

"Excuse me, are you Isabella Swan?"

I glanced up warily at the teenage girl, giving her a short nod. Rose and I were waiting to get on our flight to L.A, and I was already tired from this trip. It was approximately the hundredth time I'd been asked that question since I left home this morning. And the thousandth since Edward and I had released confirmation of our relationship through our respective reps to the editor of People two days ago. It was nothing dramatic. Just enough information for the magazine to say we were dating. Carmen and Jane convinced us this was the simplest way to get it out there and every other publication would pick it up immediately.

"Is Edward Cullen _really_ your boyfriend?"

There was the next question I was sick of hearing.

I gave the girl a smile, but nothing more before she was ushered away by Rodney. Even though she was harmless, it was still an odd feeling for me to be approached like that. Being recognized for my love life rather than my father was something that would take time for me to get used to.

Rose chuckled and shook her head at the scene, and I sighed when Rodney took his place beside my chair again.

Oh yeah, _he_ was coming with us, too.

Rodney was the newest addition to my life, a bodyguard hired by my father. He'd been around for a couple days now, but it was hard to warm up to a guy who never smiled and looked like he ate nails for breakfast.

I was irritated, moody, and missing Edward fiercely.

It had been four days since he'd flown back to California with the promise I'd join him soon after. I'd had to appear at a fundraising event with my father in Orlando as well as deal with Carmen, Caius, and learning the regimen of my new "security" before I could fly west.

Do this.

Say that.

Stand here.

Don't stand there.

Smile.

Don't answer questions.

The list of rules and regulations in my head was ridiculous, and I was ready for a vacation.

"Is it worth it?" Rose asked, glancing up from the magazine she was reading.

I knew what she was really asking was if _Edward_ was worth it. There was only one answer to that question.

"Yes."

He was. He was worth all of this and more.

I felt like a new person since meeting him. Like he'd somehow cracked the shell my life had been and was willing to hold my hand while I fumbled my way through trying to figure out my own path. He made me want to get up in the morning and try new things and really think about what _I_ wanted instead of what everyone else around me wanted.

Also, my heart raced at just the thought of being back in his arms again.

Before Rose could question me further, they called out for first class to board. We gathered our things and made our way onto the plane, settling down in the quiet cabin. I texted Edward to let him know our flight would be taking off soon and smiled at his answer.

**Hurry. I miss you.**

As soon as we were in the air, Rose turned to me. When she didn't talk, I raised my eyebrow at her. It was like she was hesitating to say something.

"What?"

It was odd for her to hold back with anything.

She pursed her lips, watching me for a few seconds and then turned away. "Nothing."

I blew out a gust of air. Now she was making me nervous.

"_What?_" I asked again.

"Shit," she muttered. "I told Emmett I'd never be able to keep it to myself."

Anxiety flared inside me. If it was something coming from Emmett, it probably had to do with Edward.

"Please, Rose. You can't not tell me now."

What could it be? Was this all a sham? Did Edward have other girls I didn't know about and lie to me? Was I being completely foolish falling for him?

She tugged on my arm, making me lean closer until our heads were huddled together.

"Okay, you know how you and Edward were pretty inseparable the whole time he was in New York?" she asked, her voice low.

I nodded.

"Well, Emmett and I were kind of forgotten_—_which is completely fine and understandable. The point is we had a lot of time to talk about things." She bit her lip and looked down. "I was worried for you."

"Worried about what?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I guess I felt like I may have pushed you into something that would only hurt you in the end just to try and get you away from James. Every time I watched you around Edward, you had stars in your eyes. I started feeling guilty. Like you were already head over heels for him and there was no way it would end well. That he was too much of a player." She took a deep breath and met my eyes again. "I cornered Emmett one night, threatening and cussing and telling him if his brother hurt you I'd cut them both up into little pieces and throw their bodies in the Hudson."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "And what did Emmett have to say?"

"He laughed at me."

_Huh?_

She giggled at my confused face before grabbing my hand and squeezing.

"He told me to quit worrying. That if anyone was liable to bail first, it would be _you_."

"Please," I scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

"No, wait. Just hear me out." Her face turned serious. "Did Edward tell you he sees a therapist like every few weeks or so?"

"Yes. I don't think that's a big deal. I should probably see one, too." Lord knew I had plenty of issues.

She smiled. "I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. In fact, it's good that he does it if he think it helps. Besides, everyone in LA has a shrink or a life coach." She laughed and I shook my head at her. "He's not like psycho crazy or anything. Just normal crazy. But Emmett was drinking and let more slip out than he probably meant to. It's nothing bad or I would have told you earlier. Actually, I almost spilled all this yesterday when you asked me why in the hell Edward wanted to be with you."

I still wondered why he did. It didn't make much sense to me. I motioned for her to keep talking.

"Okay, okay. So Emmett was rambling on about how he was happy Edward had met you, and I kept asking him why. He said he was happy Edward found you because he needed to be with someone stable. Someone outside the Hollywood madness. He said Edward was gone for you from the start and when he finds someone he connects to, he doesn't let go. That's what he meant about you being the one to drop Edward. He said that it was stupid for me to worry about you when the truth was he was worried about what would happen if you left Edward for being too much."

"Why in the world would _I_ leave _him_?" It was hard for me to even imagine a scenario where that happened.

"I asked him that. Em just said Edward might end up putting too much pressure on you. You have a lot of other obligations_—_with your father running for President and all_—_and Edward doesn't really like to share. In fact, it was made clear that Edward likes to get his way and can be... uh... _difficult _when he doesn't. Em said even though Edward acts all cocky and confident, he's actually the most insecure person in the world. I kind of choked up when he talked about how lonely Edward was most of the time. It's weird to think about a superstar being lonely, but the way Emmett described Edward's life painted a bleak picture. As much as he's famous and loved, he's also very isolated. Emmett told me that he has a small group of people he hangs out with on a regular basis. Friends that he's had forever. People he knows he can trust. But that otherwise, he's reserved and keeps to himself because he's not comfortable with the mob-like fawning and pawing and clawing which always happens."

My heart hurt for him feeling that way. It was probably why he looked a little lost and a little sad whenever we were out in public. No wonder he'd freaked out a bit when I'd kissed him in that closet when we met.

"Anyway, Emmett just said you're the first person in a long time who has made Edward happy." She let out a laugh. "He told me he kept drilling into Edward's head not to move too fast with you or push for too much too soon, but that he didn't listen at all and luckily you seemed to be eating it all up." That made me blush before she turned serious again. "Em said he hopes when Edward starts demanding more_—_and it _will_ happen_—_you won't let it scare you away."

It was a lot to take in, and I didn't say anything for a couple of minutes. What Emmett didn't factor in was that it was possible I felt more dependent on Edward than he did on me. And Edward wanting me wasn't a point against him in my mind. It was exciting and flattering and surreal.

_Was it really possible Edward craved me even half as much as I longed for him?_

"I didn't realize Emmett would prove to be so insightful," I said, meeting her eyes again.

She laughed. "Yeah, me either. But he made a lot of sense."

I sighed. "Nothing you said scares me in the least. It makes me want him more, not less."

Her eyes danced and she squeezed my hand. "That's exactly what I told Emmett."

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

"Is there Prozac in the water out here or something?" Rose asked as the car Edward sent for us sped off from the airport. "Everyone's smiling and it's creeping me out."

I shrugged. It was odd for me too. We were both hardcore east coasters. In our world, someone being too happy was considered a mental illness.

Rose tried chatting up Rodney again on the drive to Edward's house, and I watched the scenery pass by out my window. When the concrete and skyscrapers gave way to lush, green lawns and mansions, I knew we were getting close. My body vibrated with excitement to see Edward again.

We entered his gated community and finally pulled onto a secluded drive.

"Wow," Rose said as the car reached the house.

It wasn't really a house, though. It was more like an estate. The Spanish Colonial style architecture was definitely different than I was accustomed to in the homes I'd lived in throughout my life, but no less elegant.

I didn't wait for the driver to open my door, jumping out myself and rushing toward the front. Edward must have had the same idea, because he threw the front door open before I'd even reached it, and had me wrapped up in his arms before I could say hello.

His lips crashed down on mine as he pulled me inside and pressed me into the wall. I put my arms around his neck, trying to bring him even closer. We were probably making quite the scene, but I didn't care.

Evidently time apart had a way of easing my anxiety over PDA.

He tore his lips away, breathing hard as he nipped at my neck. "I fucking missed you."

I gripped his hair to keep him where he was. It felt so good.

"Did you miss me?"

"Yes," I moaned when he sucked under my ear.

He stopped his kisses, hugging me to him tighter. It felt like he was trying to breathe me in with his face buried in the crook of my neck. I tried to pull back to make sure he was okay, but he kept his grip around me firm.

"Just let me hold you for a minute," he said, making my heart pound even harder.

He could hold me as long as he wanted to. There's nowhere else I'd rather have been.

When we finally came up for air, Rose and Rodney were both standing inside with our bags at their feet.

"Who the fuck are you?" Edward asked, keeping me pinned to him and glaring at Rodney.

I rubbed his back. "That's Rodney. I told you he was coming. He's going to stay at a hotel."

He made some grunt and turned back to face me. "Well, you're with me now. He can leave."

I probably should have told him not to be so rude, but it also made my blood race that he got pissy with another male around me.

_Ugh._

I really did need to see a psychiatrist because I had major issues.

After Rodney left, Edward was all smiles again, leading us through the house.

"Come on. Leave those bags here. We'll get them later. I want you two to meet some friends of mine."

I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. I smoothed down my hair and skirt, wishing I'd had a little more time to prepare myself before meeting his friends. He hadn't told me it would be as soon as I got off the plane.

Edward pointed out the different rooms along the way, and we were greeted with the sounds of music and laughter before we even stepped outside to the backyard.

Everyone fell quiet when we walked out, and I felt more self-conscious than ever. There were three guys and two girls. They were sitting on deck chairs beside the pool, each of them turning in our direction. Edward put his arm around my shoulders, and it seemed like five sets of eyes narrowed on that action and focused on me with looks of curiosity and concern.

"Hey guys, this is Bella and Rosalie." Edward steered me closer to the table, Rose following behind. "Bella, Rose, this is Eric, Angela, Ben, Garrett, and Kate."

_Kate_.

A spurt of jealousy ran through me. She was the one Edward had supposedly been with for all these years. Or at least that's what most of the world thought. He'd assured me they'd never been more than friends, but I still felt somewhat caught off guard and at a disadvantage. Especially since she was giving me a judgmental once-over.

Eric was the first to stand up and come over to shake our hands. "It's good to meet you. Edward's told us all about you."

"It's nice to meet you, too," I said, giving him a smile.

The others warmed up some after that, each of them greeting us in turn. Edward pulled over a few more chairs so we could join them. My stomach fluttered when he hooked his foot around mine under the table and kept my hand in his.

We drank beers and wine, sitting there for hours as his friends did most of the talking. That was completely fine with me. I was nervous enough to know the babbling that would erupt if I tried to talk too much. This group of people meant a lot to Edward, and their acceptance was important to me.

Important for any future I might have with him.

I did learn that Eric and Garrett were lifelong friends of Edward, all of them having grown up in the same hometown. Garrett was into the music scene, both writing his own music and playing it with his band. They weren't a big hit yet, but he refused to let Edward use his influence to garner him more attention. Eric, on the other hand, had gone the college route. He moved down to L.A. after graduating from the University of Washington and now helped take care of Edward's money.

Angela, Ben, and Kate were all fellow actors, having met Edward on movie sets over the years. None of them were as highly celebrated as him, but Kate came the closest.

She was the only other one at the table who remained as quiet as me, but every time my eyes flickered in her direction, she was watching me.

I tried not to fidget under her surveillance, but it started to make me a little uncomfortable.

"So we were drunk and soaked from the pool and trying to get our asses over this fence before the cops could get through the gate," Garrett said, choking with laughter. "And Edward gave me a push over before trying to climb himself. The next thing we knew, another cop was standing there on the other side, shining a light right in our eyes and shaking his head. When I looked over at Edward, he was buck naked with his shorts dangling from the top of the fence."

I giggled along with everyone else, trying to imagine a sixteen-year-old Edward breaking rules and getting busted. It wasn't that difficult to imagine.

"Then Edward starts yelling 'I just got out of the pool! The water was cold! There was shrinkage! Significant shrinkage!' I was literally rolling around on the ground dying from laughing so hard. The cops must have found it amusing too, because they just drove us home and told us not to swim in anymore private pools."

Edward shook his head and shrugged, an unapologetic smile on his face. "What can I say? I was on a Seinfeld kick that summer."

The afternoon was filled with similar stories, and I enjoyed getting a glimpse into Edward's life through his friends' eyes. Plus, Edward was laughing and joking and tossing out stories of his own. It was nice to see him in a setting_—_one outside my penthouse_—_where he was so relaxed and carefree.

Emmett showed up a little later, stocked with enough food to feed an army. When everyone got up to fill their plates, I excused myself to freshen up in the bathroom.

When I finished and opened the door, Kate was standing there in the hall. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous, but I took a deep breath, anticipating some sort of confrontation.

She just stood there, her arms crossed over her chest, and raised her eyebrows as if she was waiting for me to say something first. It was hard not to be a little intimidated by her beauty. She was stunning. There was no other word to describe it, even if she was dressed in grungy clothes and her hair pulled back in a casual ponytail. She was blonde, beautiful, and the dream girl of likely every male in existence.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and moved out of the doorway and away from her. "It's... um... all yours."

She stared at me for a moment before rolling her eyes and huffing as she walked in and shut the door. My stomach twisted with nerves. I didn't know what that was all about, but it couldn't have been good.

I knew that Edward and I making our relationship public also affected her. I had avoided the tabloids and internet on purpose, but I imagined the uproar and questioning surrounding Kate was immense. Perhaps she was seeking some sort of explanation or apology from me for essentially dragging her into this drama too. Edward had told me he talked to her about it all beforehand and she was fine, but I wasn't so sure.

"Everything okay?" Edward asked, pulling me to him in a hug when I made it to the kitchen.

I nodded and wrapped my arms around his waist. It wasn't perfect, but everything was better when I was there beside him.

"Come on. Let's grab some food before Emmett eats it all."

I chuckled and let go, taking the plate he held out for me.

The rest of the night went by without incident, all of us remaining gathered on the patio. But I couldn't shake the feeling Kate considered me an unwelcome visitor. She never said anything outright, but she also didn't once engage with me or give me so much as a smile the rest of the night. Edward didn't seem to be aware of any tension, and I wasn't going to be the first to question one of his best friends.

No way.

I hoped it was simply the newness of the situation, and that the ice would thaw over time. In the meantime, all I could do was try to be as friendly as possible.

If worst came to worst, I could always have Rose cut her into tiny pieces and dump her in the Hudson.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

I walked out of his bathroom to find him sitting up in his bed, his back against the headboard, already stripped down bare.

"I like seeing you in my bedroom," he said as I walked toward him, a sly smile on his face.

And I liked being here. I chuckled a little at the sight of him swimming in that monster of a bed. It was huge, but it fit him perfectly. Like it was made for a king.

It was nice to be alone with him again. No friends. No Emmett and Rose. Just us.

He watched me as I climbed on the bed, looking every bit the predator. It didn't surprise me at all when he reached over and grabbed me to pull me closer. I ended up situated between his legs, my back pressed to his chest.

"Rule number one in this bed: no clothes." He quickly lifted my nightie off and rid me of my panties.

I laughed and leaned back against him, my head resting on his shoulder. "You have rules?"

"Not very many. There's only one that's regularly enforced."

I closed my eyes when he brushed my hair to the side and kissed my neck.

"So, we've announced we're together, you've met my friends, you'll meet my family tomorrow... you know what all this means, right?"

I tilted my head to give him more access. His lips felt so good. One of his arms wrapped around my upper torso, his hand cupping my breast, and his other arm snaked around my waist, keeping me pinned against him.

"No. What does it mean?"

His mouth stopped right next to my ear. "It means you're _mine_, Bella Swan."

My breath caught when he reached out, grabbing my inner thigh and pulling my legs apart. His hand returned to my stomach before slipping further down.

Down, down, down.

_Oh, my God._

His warm fingers trailed along my skin, rubbing right there where it felt so good. His nose slid along my jaw before his tongue flicked a spot on my neck.

"You have a freckle right here." His lips kissed that spot softly, contrasting with the more unrelenting movements of his hands. "It's mine."

My breath hitched when his hand moved from my breast to my side and down to my hip.

"This tiny birthmark on your hip is mine."

His hand slid back up my stomach, splaying out flat against my chest.

"Your mind, your heart, your body. They're all mine now, aren't they?"

I was too busy enjoying the way his fingers were moving against my lower parts to answer, but he got my attention when he stopped. His grasp around my body tightened, keeping me pressed to him, almost to the point of being rough.

It was... _thrilling_?

"Aren't they?" he asked again, his voice almost a growl.

_What was he doing?_

I nodded. "Yes."

His hand started moving again, a moan falling from my lips when he slid a finger inside me. I was slick with want for him, squirming against his hand. I whimpered when he added another finger, curling them to hit a spot that had me close to exploding . Without thinking, I clenched my thighs, my legs subconsciously moving closer together. He didn't like that one bit, his hand immediately moving back down to push them wide apart again.

"Keep your legs spread."

He was always somewhat in control in bed, but he'd never been quite this dominating before. I wasn't sure the reason for the change tonight, but I'd never been more turned on in my life. Each demanding touch of my body, each forceful murmur in my ear, each heavy breath against my skin sent an electric jolt of arousal through me.

"Do you know what you need, Bella?" My legs trembled as he continued stroking me.

I shook my head.

He placed his lips right on my ear. "You need a good, _hard_ fuck."

My entire body flushed, his words literally making me overheat. He was killing me. I was an aching, quivering mess.

"You've been tense, worried, your head is too full of other nonsense. I want you to be thinking only of me. _Only me_. After I fuck you, you won't care about anything else."

I was already close to coming apart, but I tried to hold back. His words and actions had me so excited, I wanted to savor every second.

"You want it, don't you? You _need_ it." He groaned in my ear. "You're so fucking wet. You want this. Tell me."

I did.

I may have made a sound or a nod or something, I wasn't sure, but suddenly Edward had moved to flip me over on my stomach. I was pressed facedown on the sheets with his weight covering me. He slipped his arm under me, lifting me by my waist and placing a pillow under my hips. His weight returned, his chest pressing down on my back while he straddled my legs. He brushed my hair over to one side, and I shivered when he breathed heavily in my ear again.

"You love this, don't you? I can feel you under me, trying to arch your back, wanting me to take you."

I was panting. I'd never needed anything more.

His fingers moved to rub me once more before they were replaced and he was pushing inside me. I cried out when he filled me all at once. Not from pain, more from surprise at the intensity. This wasn't the gentle, slow lovemaking he'd given me before.

It was hard. Fast.

And it felt amazing.

His hands slid down my arms, until he'd twined our fingers together into fists on top of his sheets. He never slowed, his thrusts hard and deep.

"I want you to feel this for days. Feel _me_."

He was all I _could_ feel. Every one of my senses was consumed by him.

_Only him_.

He was right about being able to make me forget everything else. I squeezed his fingers between mine, urging him for more and more and more.

The sounds of our moans and grunts filled the air, along with the slapping of our skin each time he drove me into the mattress. It was frenzied and primal. Satisfying on every level.

His forcefulness, the energy between us, and the way he hit a spot inside me with each thrust had me crying out when I came. The pleasure rolled through me like fire.

It was the most intense experience of my life.

"_Fuck_. You feel so fucking good." He groaned against my neck as he pushed deep one last time, his teeth scraping my skin.

We were both breathing heavily, locked together and coming down from our highs. I loved the way he still covered me, like he wanted to prolong the connection as much as I did.

In fact, I felt a little empty when he eventually lifted himself off of me to lay by my side.

I opened my eyes and glanced over at him. He was staring right back, a smile on his face.

He put his arms around me, pulling my body flush to his. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "That was... _wow_."

Wow didn't even begin to describe it.

He laughed and kissed me. "God, I've missed you." He buried his face in my hair and nudged a thigh between my legs. "I don't think I've slept since I left New York. You just fit so perfectly here against me. _With_ me."

I brushed my fingers through his hair and glanced at the clock. It was after midnight.

"I missed you, too. Happy Birthday."

"You being here is the best birthday present ever."

My heart stuttered and I melted against him as his breathing slowed and he fell asleep wrapped around me.

I placed my hand on his chest, comforted by the beat of his heart. I couldn't deny any longer that I was falling hard for him.

I loved him.

I only hoped despite the obstacles we faced: my mother, my father's campaign, the long distance, forced time apart, angry fans, likely Kate, and possibly his family_—_who I would meet in a few hours_—_that he would love me back anyway.

* * *

**AN: What's up with Kate? Do you like an Edward who knows what he wants? **

**Next chap is meeting the Cullens.**

**Thanks go to George Costanza, Anna Kendrick, and New Moon Edward for inspiring lines in this chapter. **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one. **

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Stay by FictionFreak95**

**The Practicum by TheFicChick**

**OPERATION: Break the Dawn by katinki**

**In the Shadow of Your Heart by BellaFlan (a little birdy told me this would be updating and complete very soon)**

**State of Love and Trust by MrsSpaceCowboy and BellaFlan**

**Also, it's iambeagle's birthday in a couple days. Make sure to check out all of her great fics and leave her some love! **


	11. Chapter 11 The Cullens

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. Also, a big thank you to Ange de L'aube for the awesome banner. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.**

* * *

**The Cullens**

"Morning," he mumbled.

I smiled and snuggled closer, enjoying the warmth of our little cocoon. His voice was the best sound to wake up to.

"Good morning and Happy Birthday again."

"Do you have a present hidden under these sheets somewhere?" he asked, tickling my waist.

I laughed and squirmed against him. "You already had _that_ present."

"Mmmm, yeah I did. It was excellent." He chuckled, rubbing my back. "So tell me what you thought of my friends last night."

"They were nice," I started, swallowing the Kate-sized lump in my throat. "Garrett was hilarious. Maybe we can go see one of his shows sometime?"

He kissed my neck. "Yeah, definitely. I want to take you to some of our hangouts. Speaking of... how long do I get to keep you here before you have to leave?"

"I can stay until you leave for Vancouver next week." I hugged him tighter, already missing him. "My parents are making a West Coast swing over the next few days, and I'll have to go to a couple events, but otherwise I can be here."

"Fuck. I forgot about that meeting with your dad in a couple days. I'm thinking about wearing a Kevlar vest under my clothes."

I giggled. "He won't shoot you now. Not after we've gone public and the police can link him to the crime."

He snorted and rolled us over, lifting up on his elbows to look down at me. "You're laughing now, but _you_ have to meet _my_ parents today. Are you ready?"

That sounded ominous.

"You told me not to worry! That they'd love me!"

He just grinned. Now I was nervous again.

Damn him.

He laughed, his thumb brushing over my forehead. "Quit crinkling your face at me. I'm only joking with you. It's going to be great. I promise."

"If I start babbling nonsense, you have to break in and stop me. I don't know what's going to come out of my mouth."

"I'm looking forward to that part most of all," he teased before kissing me until my toes curled.

Damn him again.

He may have been rotten for taking pleasure in my awkwardness, but he sure knew how to kiss.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

"I'm going to give you a few inside tips on how to win over my parents," Emmett said, pulling me aside after breakfast when Edward was in the shower.

I nodded. "Okay." I'd take any assistance I could get.

Edward was basically no help at all.

"First of all, my mom. There are two things she loves most in this world. Me, of course." He grinned and preened. "And second is her shot glass collection."

_Shot glasses?_

I wrung my hands on my lap, more nervous than ever. What kind of person collected shot glasses outside of drunken frat boys still in college?

I wanted this to work between Edward and me. That included a future where our families would eventually meet and interact. But I couldn't imagine a situation where Renee Swan would be willing to so much as be in the same room as someone who collected shot glasses.

"Then Dad is a huge gun nut. Make sure to ask him if you can see his gun closet and maybe take you out firing or something."

My stomach twisted with dread.

_Guns?_

I couldn't shoot a gun. I'd never even _touched_ a gun. My experience was limited to seeing them in movies and on television and carried by the occasional police escorts for my family over the years. I supposed the fact my father was a strong supporter of the Second Amendment was good news, but it didn't help me if Dr. Cullen wanted to Rambo me up.

"Oh, and he's also really into Native American history. You might want to slip into the conversation that you have a distant ancestor of Indian heritage or something. He'll be your best friend and talk all day about it."

I bit my lip. "But I don't think I _do_ have any Native American ancestors." I wracked my brain trying to remember the detailed family tree my parents were so proud of. "I'm a DAR. My grandfather, ten generations back, signed the Declaration of Independence."

"Come on now. Don't tell me some of your ancestors didn't get down with a local squaw or two in their day." He waved his hand like it was no big deal. "Just make something up." He said all this with a straight face, but he couldn't be serious. _Could he?_ "And what is a DAR?"

"Daughter of the American Revolution. It is a society of those with ancestors who aided in securing independence for America."

He frowned. "Sounds really hoity toity. I wouldn't mention that. We are people who drink our wine from a box in plastic cups. Not from crystal goblets."

I was in so much trouble.

Was I going to have _any_ piece of common ground with them other than Edward?

"What about your sister?" Maybe she'd have some similar tastes and interests.

"Alice is obsessed with '80s hair band music, body piercings, and she has the ability to belch the entire alphabet after chugging a beer. She's been able to do it since she was twelve." He patted my leg and stood up, seemingly unaware my mouth was gaping. "You're going to be great. I'm gonna go get dressed."

"_Wait!_" I cried before he walked out.

He turned around. "Yeah?"

"Your sister was drinking beer when she was _twelve_?"

He scrunched his eyebrows and shook his head as if _I_ were the one who was crazy. "Sure. Why not?"

I was too stunned to speak, having no words in response as he strolled out and left me there on the couch in a daze.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

"Why are you so fidgety? What's wrong?"

I sent Edward the bravest smile I could muster as we sat in the back of Emmett's jeep. We were nearing his parents' house in Malibu, and I was a nervous wreck. I'd been going over Emmett's tips in my head, trying to discreetly google information about guns, shot glasses, and hair bands on my phone when Edward wasn't paying attention.

"I'm fine. Great."

He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him. "I don't believe you."

I couldn't exactly tell him I was worried about the possibility I was about to meet the current-day Beverly Hillbillies.

I let out a huge sigh of relief when we pulled up in front of a sleek, modernly-styled home, no rusted-out cars or gaudy lawn ornaments in sight. In fact, the landscape was beautiful, flowers of every color blooming alongside the shrubbery.

I took in a deep breath of salty, ocean air and genuinely smiled when Edward put his hands around my waist and helped me down out of the jeep. I straightened my white, strapless bandeau dress, hoping I hadn't overdressed for the occasion.

"We're going to have to put some sunscreen on you," Edward said, his voice low as his hands lingered on my arms. "I don't want this pretty skin to burn."

I lifted my eyes to meet his, swooning a little right there in the driveway from his flirty stare.

"I _do_ burn easily," I agreed.

His lips curved up. "Well, I'll have no problem helping out." He trailed his fingers up to my shoulders, one hand brushing across my collar bone. "I'll make sure every inch is covered."

I wasn't sure if it was the bright sun, warm temperatures, or just him making me hot and bothered.

"Come on, hornballs," Emmett interrupted, pulling Rose along ahead of us. "Let's go."

Edward laced his fingers with mine and cocked his head. "Ready?"

"Yes." _Maybe_.

I just hoped I didn't make a fool out of myself and that they liked me.

Rose glanced back at me with a smile as we walked inside, probably sensing my anxiety. I straightened my shoulders and kept a grip on Edward's hand. No matter what I was about to face, I wanted to give the best first impression possible. Edward loved his family, so I wanted to love them, too.

I was pleasantly surprised as we walked through, admiring the smart and welcoming decor. I hadn't noticed a single shot glass yet.

"Mom! Dad! Where are you?" Emmett yelled.

"Back here!" A male voice answered.

And there they were when we entered the kitchen. Their mom was putting frosting on a cake and their dad was chopping vegetables. I could see parts of Edward in both of them. He got his height and good looks from his father and his coloring from his mother.

"Happy Birthday!" his mom said, her eyes lighting up at the sight of us. She put down the utensil and immediately came over to give Edward a hug.

My heart clenched a little at the sight. I'd never been greeted like that by my mother. Not even on a birthday.

I tried to let go of Edward's hand to give them a private moment, but he kept a grip on mine.

"Mom, I want you to meet Bella."

She pulled away and turned toward me, taking me by surprise when she hugged me just as eagerly as she had her son.

"Welcome, Bella. I've heard so much about you," she said, squeezing me tight. She wasn't much bigger than me, but she had a firm grasp.

She smelled like sugar cookies and happiness.

I reciprocated her hug with my one free arm, glancing at Edward over her shoulder. He was grinning at the two of us.

At least I understood now where Edward got his affectionate tendencies.

It felt good, and I indulged for just a moment imagining growing up with a mom who loved her kids. When she pulled back, I tried to untie my tongue and give her a response.

"I... uh... thank you, Mrs. Cullen. I mean thanks for inviting me. Well, I'm not sure if you invited me, but just having me. Or letting Edward bring me rather." I felt my cheeks get hot and I dropped my gaze to the floor.

Edward moved behind me, his hand rubbing my lower back.

_Why was I such an idiot?_

She didn't seem to notice, or she was just being nice.

"I'm so happy you're here," she said, squeezing my hand. "Make yourself at home, and please, call me Esme."

I lifted my head and nodded at her smile, taking a deep breath when she moved on to greet Emmett and Rose.

Edward led me over to the little island his father was mixing the salad at, snorting his greeting. "Mom's got you cooking?"

"Hey! I can mix a salad," he grumbled at Edward, sending me a wink.

"Don't listen to him. He burns water. I'm surprised he's allowed in this room at all."

"Please," his dad retorted. "Your mother loves it when I come in and _distract_ her. I had her plenty happy before you showed up."

Emmett and Edward both groaned at the same time, Esme cutting in.

"Carlisle, don't you dare say anything embarrassing in front of our guests. You'll scare the poor girls away."

Wait.

_Was he just insinuating what I thought he was? Out loud?_

My cheeks heated again, and I bit my lip to keep from laughing. This was nothing like any family gathering I'd ever been at before. Apparently Edward got his forwardness from his father's side.

And Esme was wrong about scaring me away. I was glad there was someone else there to say embarrassing things besides just me.

Plus, Dr. Cullen was all kinds of handsome. Tall, tanned, blond hair and blue eyes. Not as beautiful as his son, but very close. Esme was a very lucky woman.

He wiped his hands off and walked around to shake my hand. "Glad you're here, Bella. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Dr. Cullen."

He waved his hand. "Carlisle is fine."

"Yes, you are."

Everyone in the room started chuckling, and it took me a minute to realize I'd said that out loud.

I wished for lightening to strike me down dead.

"Alright, alright," Esme interrupted, coming over to save me. "Let's get some drinks and relax."

Esme took my hand, leading me and Rose into another room where they had a bar set up.

"What can I get you girls? Soda, water, a glass of wine?"

It was a little early in the day for alcohol, although I knew it might help calm my nerves. I glanced over at Rose.

"Water would be terrific," she said and I nodded in agreement. "Your home is really beautiful."

Esme smiled, handing us our water. "Thank you."

I berated myself for not complimenting her first. I noticed the glassware behind the bar, spying the line of shot glasses on one shelf.

"I really love your shot glasses," I told her.

She kept smiling, furrowing her brow and tilting her head a little. "Thanks, sweetie."

It sounded more like placating me than accepting praise. This probably wasn't her real collection, and now I looked completely foolish. I opened my bottle and took a drink, trying to ignore Rose's questioning stare.

"Why don't we go ahead and take the guys some drinks?" Esme suggested.

I agreed readily. Anything to end the awkward silence which had descended.

We joined the others outside, handing out beverages for them while they carried out platters of food. A large table was set up poolside, complete with umbrellas to shade us from the sun.

Apparently everyone in California had their own pool.

Edward wrapped his arms around me after I put the drinks down. "So far, so good," he murmured.

I supposed it wasn't a disaster yet.

"Where's Alice?" Emmett asked.

Carlisle placed bread down on the table. "She's on her way. She had to run some errands."

Emmett laughed and punched Edward on the arm. "Probably picking this loser up a gift because she forgot his birthday was today."

Edward released me, turning to return a blow to his brother. "Fucker!"

"Language!" Esme yelled.

I moved away quickly, not wanting to inadvertently get pushed in the pool from the wrestling duo. This was obviously some sibling rivalry thing that I had no experience with.

All I knew was guys were weird.

Rose probably agreed because she stood there sipping her water and shaking her head at them.

"Can I help with anything?" I asked Esme, who was busy arranging things on the table.

She must have realized I needed some outlet for my nervous energy, giving me a nod. "Sure. Can you bring out the hummus spread I have in the fridge?"

"Come on, Bella," Carlisle said. "I'll show you where it is. I need to get the pasta anyway."

I followed him inside, working up the nerve to try my hand at another compliment.

"Here we go," he said, pulling a container out of the fridge.

I took from him when he held it out. "Thanks. I'll just take this out. I... uh... I'd really like to see your guns sometime."

He stood there, seemingly frozen for a few seconds, before looking down at each of his arms. Then he backed away a couple steps, rubbing the back of his neck.

_Oh, my God, why were his cheeks tinged pink?_

I'd clearly said something wrong again.

"Pasta," he mumbled, turning toward the stove, rummaging around with pans and bowls. "I've been married to Edward's mother for almost thirty years now, and I love her more than ever."

I wanted the Earth to open up and swallow me whole.

_Did he think I was trying to come on to him?_

"I... take... this. Okay." I'm not sure those were the words I squeaked, but I hightailed it out the kitchen as quickly as I could.

I was so mortified and completely at a loss. His mother thought I was strange and his father thought I was slutty. This was one big cluster from top to bottom.

I was in such a hurry, I almost crashed right into someone on my way out.

"Whoa! Where's the fire?"

I was face-to-face with a girl who could only be Edward's sister. She was about my height, with dark, shoulder-length windblown hair, her green eyes sparkling as she smiled.

She held out her hand. "Bella, right? I'm Alice."

I nodded and shook her hand, close to tears from the kitchen scene.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes." I tried to pull myself together. "I have the hummus."

"Good." She nodded slowly once and moved to my side, hooking her arm with mine. "Come on, let's go sit down and talk."

I had never been more grateful to an almost complete stranger. We made it back to the table, Alice sitting down on one side of me and Edward taking the other side. Rose and Emmett sat on the other side and Esme taking one end.

I focused on my lap when Carlisle came back out, carrying the pasta and sitting down across from Esme.

"How are you liking California so far?" Alice asked.

I lifted my head when Edward's fingers twined with mine, resting on my leg.

Did he know when he touched me like that it made everything better? Did he sense I needed a bit of support right now?

"It's beautiful," I answered to Alice. "We only got in yesterday, but it's been great so far."

"Well, you have to let me take you and Rose out to a few places if you two are going to be here for awhile. A lot less cameras around when we ditch Edward."

He squeezed my hand, and I caught his smile.

"That would be great," I told her.

"Dig in everyone," Esme said.

I finally took a breath and tried to relax, glad some of the attention was off of me. Everyone was talking at once, filling their plates, and joking around.

I caught Rose's eyes across the table.

"You okay?" she mouthed.

I nodded and shrugged. I was going to have to go over every detail of this with her later so she could help me figure out damage control.

"Bella?" Esme grabbed my attention. "Are you excited about the campaign? I imagine it's quite thrilling to have your father running for President."

Everyone went quiet again, my eyes sweeping around the table. They were all watching me, except Carlisle, who appeared very interested in his plate.

"It's really only begun and hasn't been too hectic yet. I think it'll start to hit me more when the primaries begin in January."

"But your father is expected to be the Republican nominee, right?"

I nodded and sipped my water. "Those are the projections now, but you never know. Things can change quickly."

And I seemed to get my groove back at that point. Questions abounded toward me and Rose, mostly the simple getting-to-know-you type, but I handled them well and avoided any further bumbling of the English language.

I didn't escape my notice that Edward's father remained mostly silent. I needed to do something to rectify my major blunder. Emmett nudged my leg under the table with his foot, shrugged his shoulder towards his dad, and raised his eyebrow at me.

I realized Emmett was trying to help me out when I overheard him telling his dad about watching The Last of the Mohicans last night. I took a deep breath and centered myself, wanting to try anything to make Carlisle comfortable in my presence again.

_I could do this. I could do this._

"I... ah... I think one of my ancestors was Native American," I interrupted.

"Really?" Emmett said, nodding with interest and nudging his dad's arm with his elbow.

Carlisle turned toward me, the strangest expression on his face. I wasn't sure if that was good or bad, but at least he wasn't avoiding me any longer.

"Yeah," I continued, wetting my lips and trying to spin a tale in my head. "There's a rumor that... uh... one of my ancestors, she was daughter of a chief and was captured and held captive by the English. She... well... she fell in love with one of them. Yeah. She decided to stay with him, instead of going back to her tribe. Her name was Little Big Foot."

It was possible I'd just recited the synopsis of a Disney movie and combined it with the name of a mythical creature.

My heart was pounding in my chest as everyone stayed silent. It probably wasn't a good sign that all their mouths hung open a little.

This was so bad.

"I'm going to go grab some wine," Edward said. "Bella, would you come help me?"

He stood up, helping me stand and leading me inside. As soon as we were through the door, he sat me down on a chair and knelt down in front of me, rubbing my thighs.

"Baby? What's going on? That was some epic babbling, and I think you're scaring everybody."

I felt the tears welling in my eyes. "I don't know," I cried. "I was just trying to get your parents to like me, but I've ruined it. Emmett gave me some tips this morning, but I've bungled it all up. I don't think I got across what I was trying to say very well."

Edward's head fell forward as soon as Emmett's name left my lips.

"What did my brother tell you?"

I spilled it all. Everything from glassware to alphabet belching. Edward burst out into laughter, snatching me up in his arms. It took him a few minutes before he was composed enough to speak again.

"Don't ever, ever, _ever_ believe anything Emmett says."

I was a complete moron. A naive, gullible toolbox of a moron. I had fallen for it all hook, line, and sinker.

He'd made it all up. Every single bit.

As the truth washed over me, I remembered the things I'd said to his parents since arriving, a new wave of embarrassment hitting me hard.

But I was feeling another emotion even more.

Anger.

"Let me go," I yelled, maneuvering out of Edward's grasp.

I jumped up, rushing back outside. "Emmett!" I screamed.

He stood up from the table, walking toward me and laughing like a lunatic.

"You... you... _asshole_!"

I didn't care that his parents might think I was even crazier than they already did. I didn't care that I was making a scene. I didn't care that I screamed an obscenity.

And I especially didn't care that Emmett was soaked head to toe-clothes included-after I pushed him into the pool.

The caring came the second after my haze of anger cleared and I realized what I'd done. I had never acted like that before. I'd never blown up in rage and vented in such a physical or outward way.

It had felt so good, but then I was nervous about the consequences.

Had I gone too far? Had I just ruined everything for me and Edward? Was his family going to hate me now?

The last thing I was expecting was the thunderous applause and cheers I got from every single one of them.

Including Emmett.

Edward's arms came around me from behind, hugging me tight. "Serves you right, dickhead," he said to his brother who was smiling from his spot in the pool.

"Aw, come on. She's now been initiated," Emmett retorted.

After sitting back down and watching Emmett scamper off inside to change, Esme and Carlisle both apologized for their son and explained that he had confessed to them all what happened after Edward took me inside.

And after my complete humiliation, breakdown, and breakthrough, everything else was a piece of cake. We laughed, ate dessert, drank wine and got to know each other the rest of the night.

I had only one more lingering question in my head as I leaned toward Alice.

"So you didn't drink beer when you were twelve, right?"

She stared at me. "_Sure_. Why not?"

I was relieved when she couldn't hold her straight face as well as Emmett had, assured she was only joking with me.

Ultimately, my meeting the Cullens had ended as a success. They were loud, affectionate, loving, wild, and I didn't quite understand all of their senses of humor yet, but they were the yin to my family's yang, and I adored them.

Every single one.

Even Emmett.

* * *

**AN: Poor Bella… but at least it all got cleared up in the end. **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one. **

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or ****on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs (all complete and all terrific!):**

**Outbound by aftrnoondlight**

**In the Debris by BelieveItOrNot**

**The Breakers by les16**

**Going Under by sparklnfade**

**There is a Light by belladonnacullen**


	12. Chapter 12 The Flip Side

**I was going to keep this story all in BPOV, but I never made any promises. Edward just wouldn't shut up and he can be pretty loud and demanding. Anyway, this may be the only EPOV or he may pop up again. We'll see how it goes. **

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I seriously have so much love for these ladies. **

* * *

**The Flip Side **

Son of a...

I ground my teeth and forced myself not to flip the fucker off as I turned onto the street—no matter how much I wanted to. They thought they were so sly, trying to hide in cars just outside the gates of my community.

_Sly, my ass._

At this point in my life, I could spot a dumbass paparazzi pig a mile away.

I dialed my sister as I made my way south toward the 101.

"Hey, I'm almost there," she answered. "Just chill out."

I blew out a gust of air. "That's not why I'm calling."

"Then what do you want?"

"If you'd shut your piehole for a minute, I'd tell you."

She let out a loud, whiny sigh and I grinned. It was my responsibility as an older brother to give her shit.

"I just left the house and I'm on my way to meet with my team, then the doc, and then Bella's dad. There were some paps waiting when I turned onto Franklin. I'm pretty sure they're tailing me, but just head's up when you take her out today. If you guys end up surrounded, call me and I'll figure something out."

"We'll be fine. That Rodney guy is coming and Em's coming, too."

I snorted. "Em's going shopping with you guys?"

She laughed. "Yeah, I think he's crushing on Blondie. We'll make him carry our bags."

Alice was on the mark in regards to his Rosalie obsession. Poor guy had it bad.

_Almost as bad as me_.

I cleared my throat and adjusted my pants when thoughts of a naked Bella still lying in my bed flooded my mind.

"Anyway," I continued. "I just wanted to let you know they were waiting out there."

"It's all good. Have fun getting your head shrunk and then kissing Papa Swan's ass."

"Fuck you."

I hung up on her with a growl. She'd effectively taken care of my semi by reminding me of Senator Swan. I ran my hand through my hair in aggravation.

I already had serious problems with Daddy Dearest. He'd kept Bella from me all day yesterday when she joined him at a fundraiser, and today I was going to be without her again because he wanted to meet me alone. The problem was, she wouldn't tell him no. She had it in her head that she owed him something for breaking off her engagement. That she had to make up for it and be at his beck and call every single second. She told me she'd promised to do anything to help his campaign and I had a feeling he was going to take full advantage of it. She said she wanted to break free, but she's still completely under his control.

_Dick_.

It shouldn't have made me so angry. Bella and I hadn't been together very long and I supposed it was understandable her father would come before me in terms of importance in her life. But I still hated it. I wanted to be her number one.

Fuck him.

I only had two more days left with her before I left for Vancouver for eight weeks. It wasn't nearly enough time. I wished I could take her with me. Like pack her up in one of my suitcases and steal her away. I didn't understand this compulsion I had to have her by my side every second, but it was there anyway.

She calmed me. Made me happy. Happier than I'd been in a long time.

And I had a sinking feeling I needed her much more than she needed me.

I felt like I was going crazy.

_Why did the one girl I wanted in the world have a prick for a father and a psychotic bitch for a mother?_

When I pulled up in front of CAA, the building housing my management and PR team, Mike was standing there waiting for me.

"Hey," he said, catching the keys I tossed after getting out.

"Hey," I answered. "I'll be a few hours in here and will call when I'm ready to leave."

He nodded and got in the car. I liked that he wasn't too chatty.

Once inside, I hurried onto the elevator, hoping for as little fanfare as possible. Luckily, there were only two other people in there and each was more interested in their phone than me.

My luck didn't last long.

When the doors opened to the twenty-second floor, the bubbly blonde secretary popped up from her seat behind her desk as soon as I started walking toward her.

"Oh... hi. Edward... I mean... um... Mr. Cullen."

I rolled my eyes behind my sunglasses. This chick annoyed me every time I came here, and I couldn't even remember her name.

Janice or Jordan or some J name.

"Yeah. Can I go on back?"

She nodded her head so fast she looked like one of those bobblehead dolls while sidling up next to me. "Yes, they're ready for you."

Her eyes were big as she pushed her tits out on display and tried to casually brush up against my arm. I wagered I could tell her to kneel down and suck my cock right there in the middle of the lobby and she'd do it.

Not that I'd do something like that.

At least not anymore.

I smirked and shook my head. "Well, have a good one." I turned away and started walking toward Paul's office.

"Wait," she said, rushing to catch up. "They're in the conference room." She pointed toward a different door which was open.

I walked in, finding Paul, Embry, Jane and Heidi all sitting around a table.

"That will be all, Jessica," Paul said, standing up to greet me.

Jessica. That's her name.

I glanced back in the direction he was staring, finding Jessica standing frozen in the open doorway and panting a little. Jane walked over and shut the door in her face.

She turned back toward me, shaking her head. "I told her to stop acting like a fool when you were here."

I shrugged. "No big deal."

It really wasn't. That was tame compared to what I usually dealt with.

I shook hands with everyone, before taking one of the open seats and a gulp of my favorite coffee they had waiting for me.

Paul Rosenphal was the head of CAA, running it with his son, Embry. They handled everything from deal signings, script approvals, endorsements, all the way down to public appearances and fan mail. They even at times worked in conjunction with my financial advisors, including my friend Eric. I had hired them four years ago after ending my disastrous relationship with Aro and his firm.

Being under the thumb of Aro was just one of many mistakes I made in the past.

My life was normal until I hit Hollywood. I'd had a fun childhood and didn't have any complaints. My parents were loving, but allowed me some freedom. I had friends, girlfriends, experimented with booze, sex, fun... overall I was a normal teenager.

Then it all changed when I filmed my first major movie.

I was still basically a kid. A kid with stars in my eyes. I was surrounded by glamour, glitz, drugs and beautiful, fawning girls always willing to spread their legs—an almost constant party—but it was all being controlled by people who didn't have my best interests in mind.

Aro took my money, made poor decisions on my behalf, and kept me like a puppet on a string for too many years. It wasn't until I got into legal trouble and my family intervened that I even realized how deep in I was and how much I was being used. Drugs and women and notoriety had a way of blinding you from reality.

But I learned my lessons and came out of it all a wiser, if not more jaded man.

"I was hoping you'd bring Isabella with you today," Jane said, smiling across the table. "I want to meet the girl who's swept you off your feet."

I fiddled with my coffee cup. "She couldn't come today. You'll meet her sometime." I cleared my throat, wanting to remain noncommittal. "So, I got chased here by the paps all the way from my house. What's going on out there?"

_Out there_ meaning in the land of gossip and scandal. I both loved and hated the dependence my career had on image. I relied on the interest of the masses: going to see my movies, buying things I endorsed, making me relevant. On the flip side, it meant privacy was scarce and I had to worry about the mob's opinion when they observed my life under the microscope.

Even more so now with Bella in the mix.

"The tide is mostly in your favor at this point, probably because it's so new," Heidi said. "Kate's people are somewhat peeved, but they're also contemplating playing the victim card. They've been quiet so far, but I've seen a couple mentions of 'Poor Kate' and wondering how she's handling being tossed aside. You know it would be smart of them to try and use this in her favor to gain sympathy from her fans."

I snorted. The whole charade was ridiculous at times. It was hard not to laugh at the stupidity.

Heidi and Jane had a dozen interns and associates under them, constantly scouring the news and internet for information or mentions of the celebrities they represent. In this day and age of instant communication, these bits of knowledge were used for and against people like me to sway public perception.

Embry tapped his fingers on the table. "The studio's been calling me nonstop, irate about you and Isabella coming out now. They've made an offer for you to consider."

My stomach twisted as I stared at him. "An offer for what?"

He grimaced. "They want you to shut up about Isabella until after the promo of Shade is complete. They're offering another percent of net profits to both you and Kate if you remain _together_ until sales die down."

Shade was the final movie in the series I'd filmed with Kate. These fuckers wanted to control my private life again because they believed they could make a few extra dollars.

My blood boiled and I clenched my hands into fists. "Does Kate know about this?"

He nodded. "Probably. I was going to tell you days ago when I called, but you told me to wait until this meeting."

I vaguely remembered that call. I was busy taking Bella's panties off of her and didn't want any interruptions.

But why in the hell wouldn't Kate tell me about this?

I noticed she was a little cold towards Bella when they met, but I tried to play it off. I figured she was simply concerned about me.

Was it something more than that? Did I have reason to doubt her now?

"No," I said.

"Maybe you should take some time to think—"

I cut him off with a glare, pounding my fist on the table. "I don't need to think about it. The answer's _no_. And fuck them for thinking the fans are going to run away because I won't participate in some fantasy anymore. It's stupid. People aren't that dumb."

_Right?_

Everyone fell silent, occasional glances sent between them. Maybe people _were_ that dumb.

"It's only a few more months," Embry said. "It could be a lot of money in your pocket."

"I have enough money. The money means nothing."

It was about Bella. Playing games like this could ruin the best thing I had going.

Paul must have seen I was about to blow because he held his hands up. "Embry, that's enough. Edward doesn't want to go in that direction. What's next?"

Embry didn't appear too put out by his father's subtle reprimand and slid a few files in front of me. "Here are some promising scripts for you to take with you to Vancouver. Cruise dropped out of the one on top. It's an action movie. Lead role is up for grabs and they're willing to adjust the character for your youth. But they're wanting to film in October and November. I know you're booked for promotion of Shade and Wanted, but maybe we could work around it."

I frowned and skimmed a few pages of the script, thinking about how busy I was going to be already. Adding more on top didn't sound very appealing. Plus, I didn't want to be anybody's backup choice.

Fuck that.

I slid that file back over to Embry. "Not interested in that one. I have enough going on already. But I'll take the others with me."

He nodded and looked down at a calendar. "So you'll be clear through the end of the year filming-wise and I'll send you an updated promo schedule soon. After the new year, you currently only have two major projects lined up. TFR moved filming back a few weeks. It's looking like February and March and then Confidential is still set for May and June."

"Sounds good."

My mind briefly wondered what would be happening next summer. As usual, my focus was on Bella.

What would she be doing?

I imagined her father would be even busier than he was now. Bella had mentioned the National Convention would be at the end of the summer, but I wasn't sure of the exact date.

Would her father already have the nomination in the bag at that point? How much of Bella's time would be required once he was the official nominee?

Fuck.

"That just leaves Vancouver," Jane said, grabbing my attention again. "I'm going to be traveling there with you and I'll be around the first couple weeks. I have Demitri assigned to be there the full eight weeks. Will Isabella be visiting at all?"

"I'm not sure." I took a drink of coffee, wishing the answer was yes.

I'd made passing references to the possibility, but Bella hadn't taken the bait yet. I wanted her to be there, but I didn't want to push too much. Emmett kept telling me not to scare her off, and I was trying to keep things casual.

But it was difficult.

Bottom line was I wanted her with me. More than that, I wanted her to _want_ to be with me.

"Well, you can still talk to her even if she's not there in person," Jane added, probably trying to make me feel better.

"Yes, let's wrap this up," Paul said. "I have a few things for you to sign and then your appointment is waiting in my office."

I smirked and took the papers from him to sign. My appointment meant Dr. Eleazar Thorpe was waiting. One of the advantages of being me was having the shrink make house calls.

Or office calls in this case.

Nobody wanted to see me papped walking in and out of a psychiatrist's building, so Eleazar always met me here for our sessions.

After finishing with the signatures, Paul escorted me down to his office, telling me he'd be back in an hour.

"Hey, Doc," I said, walking in and closing the door.

He stood by the window, admiring the skyline and turned at my greeting. "Edward, good to see you."

I took a seat on the couch and he sat in a chair close by. I'd been seeing Eleazar for a few years now, and our meetings were pretty routine at this point. It was mainly a time for me to get my anxieties off my chest without any judgment. I was comfortable with Eleazar because he reminded me of my grandfather.

He was a cool guy.

"You look happy," he said.

I grinned. "I am happy. For the most part."

"Tell me what's going on."

I reclined back and crossed my ankles. "I met someone. _The_ someone."

His eyes widened slightly and he leaned closer, waiting for me to expound. I knew he wouldn't have any clue about a new relationship in my life unless I told him. His media exposure consisted of watching the Golf Channel.

"She's amazing. Beautiful, smart, sweet. She's probably the nicest person I've ever met. Not a mean bone in her body. And funny, too. I swear I laugh more with her than I ever have before. It's like she has all these different sides to her. She can be quirky at times, yet she has this air of sophistication. She's innocent, but can also be so fucking sexy. She's naive in some things and adventurous in others. She's strong, but has a vulnerable side. The more I get to know about her, the more I want to know." I sighed and gazed at the ceiling. "I feel different around her. I can be myself, but it's like I never feel so crazy or upset. She calms me down. I don't know. It's like she gives me peace or something. I can't get enough of her."

Silence filled the air for a minute before he spoke again.

"You didn't mention her at our last appointment. I assume this is a new relationship?"

"Yes," I mumbled, feeling a little defensive. "It's new, but I _know_ this is it. She's the one."

"I'm not judging you, Edward."

I knew he wasn't, but everyone else probably was.

I glanced at him again. "I don't rush into relationships with anybody. I've never done that before. This is different."

"Why do you think it's different?"

"Because she's all I think about. All I want." I gripped my hair. "I can't even sleep when she's not around anymore."

I was afraid I'd said too much. Hearing those words come out of my mouth made me cringe. I sounded crazy.

"Have you discussed your feelings with her?"

My eyes snapped to his in surprise.

Where was my lecture? Why wasn't he telling me to calm my shit down? That I needed to be a strong person alone and not dependent on someone else?

"I... uh... not really. I guess we've talked about not being with other people, but not exactly what we mean to each other."

"Do you believe she feels as strongly for you as you do for her?"

There's the million dollar question.

I had no clue as to the answer, but I shoved my hand under my leg when I suddenly realized I was chewing on my thumb nail.

Fucking nervous habits.

"I don't know. Probably not." I went on and spilled my guts, telling him all about who she was, who her father was, and my fears that she would always do whatever _he_ wanted her to do.

His face never changed throughout, nodding me along as I talked. When I finally sat back in silence, he leaned forward again.

"It seems to me she cares for you more than you think. She's already broken away somewhat from her parents' control. You say you wish she would put you first, but then again you are leaving the country for your work in a few days. Right?"

I nodded, not sure where he was going with this.

"Consider her helping her father as a job. She has obligations, things she was signed up for long before you two met. You wanting Bella to be with you despite her father would be the same as her asking you to be with her despite your job. How would you feel if she told you not to go to Vancouver? To quit acting and move to New York full time so you could be around her?"

I chuckled. That fucker had a point.

"I guess I'd feel she was being ridiculous and asking too much." I scratched my head. "But I would still know she cared about me enough to want it."

"Talk to her, Edward. I think you'll be surprised how much she cares. Have this discussion before you leave, because we both know you'll fret and worry about this more after you're gone. Then take the time while you're apart to prioritize your feelings. This isn't the last time you two will be apart. Try to figure out what you'd be willing to give up for her before you ask her to give up anything for you."

We talked a little more about other things in my life before Paul popped back in and told me my car was waiting downstairs. I shook both their hands and took off across town, my mind whirling from the Doc's advice.

He put a lot of things into perspective, and I actually felt better getting all that off my chest. At least to someone besides Emmett.

I pulled in front of the Beverly Wilshire, smiling at the texts Bella had left me telling me about their shopping day. She sounded happy and they were on their way back to my place. I replied that I had one more stop and I'd be there as soon as I could.

I handed my keys to the valet and was met with the manager at the door. He personally escorted me to Mr. Swan's suite.

I felt drained from my day already. All I wanted to do was go home and see Bella, and I groaned as I stood in front of the door. Before I could even knock, the door opened and Alec stood there watching me.

The last time I'd seen him was when he dropped me and Emmett off at our hotel in New York the first night I met Bella. He told me not to contact her again, and I told him to go fuck himself.

_Awkward_.

He finally moved to the side and let me walk in, closing the door behind us.

"Come on, he's this way," he said, leading me to another room. Before he opened the door, he paused and turned to face me. "You better not fuck this up."

Was he talking about with Bella or with her father?

I swallowed the smartass retort I wanted to fire off and settled for a nod. I walked in to find Bella's father and another man seated at a table covered with books, papers, and laptops. Neither acknowledged my presence for a minute or two as they finished their conversation.

I shuffled my feet and stuck my hands in my pockets, growing increasingly irritated with each passing second. I wasn't used to, nor did I enjoy being ignored.

Was her father trying to prove a point here or something?

"Ah, Edward," Mr. Swan said eventually. "Come on over." They both stood and turned my way as I walked over. "This is Caius Volturi, my campaign manager."

I shook his hand, unimpressed with the beady eyes and menacing expression on the small, blond-haired man's face.

"Have a seat, Edward. And Caius, that'll be all for today. I'll meet you in the morning."

I sat down, watching as Mr. Swan took the seat across from me. I kept my head up, refusing to allow myself to feel nervous.

"Thanks for coming down here," he said.

I nodded. "No problem."

His eyes narrowed a little. "I thought it'd be best for us to meet alone. Lay it all out there without any interruptions."

Lay _what_ all out there?

"I'm not sure I understand, Mr. Swan."

"It's Senator Swan."

I stopped myself before I rolled my eyes. Pompous fuck.

_Senator. Senator._

Got it.

"I apologize, Senator. What exactly are we laying out here?"

"Why are you with my daughter?"

_What the fuck?_

My mouth dropped open in confusion. "I like her. We like each other."

He sighed and shook his head. "You can be honest here. Everything we say in here can stay between us, but you have to tell me the truth now. I need to know what's going on before things go any further. Is this some publicity stunt on your behalf?"

"_Publicity stunt_?" I clenched and unclenched my hands over and over trying to relieve some tension. "I'm not sure what you mean. Are you referring to the public statement of us being a couple? You were the one who insisted on that."

"No. I mean what interest do you have in my daughter? She's not some Playboy pinup or model or starlet. She's young, awkward at times, can trip over thin air, and doesn't enjoy being in the spotlight. She's about as far removed from Hollywood as one could be. Her reputation, along with mine, is already being sullied by this farce. So I want to know what the bottom line is. What do you want? Is this some public image thing suggested by your agent? Find a good girl and widen your appeal or something?"

I was pissed. Beyond pissed. A realm above pissed. This fool didn't even know his own daughter.

"You couldn't be more off base. Not only are you insulting me, but you're insulting Bella." I stood up. Fuck him and fuck this whole scene. "She's beautiful and sweet and means more to me than anybody. I lo..."

I broke myself off before I said I loved her.

I _did_ love her, but I'd be damned if this asshole would hear it before Bella.

"We're together because we both _want_ to be. Deal with it! I'm fucking out of here, _Senator_," I spat before stalking out the door and out of the suite.

I didn't say a word as I stormed past Alec, despite him standing there with a smile. All of them were fucking insane.

How did my sweet Bella come from these people?

As soon as I got back in my car, I sped home. I didn't allow myself to stop and think. If I did, I'd lose it.

Had I just blown any opportunity with Bella? Ruined my chances?

I gunned it, flying down the highway. I had to get to her. The only thing that could save this day was having her in my arms again.

I'd barely parked in my driveway before jumping out of the car and running inside. Loud shouts and laughs were coming from the backyard and I slipped out there seeing Emmett and the girls splashing around in the pool.

As soon as I saw Bella, all smiles and in a bikini, I felt better. Like an instant balm on my aching heart.

Her head turned my way as if she could sense me close. "Edward!" She swam to the stairs and came up out of the water.

Fuck.

I had to talk to her. Tell her that I loved her and that her family needed shock therapy. But she was wearing some skimpy little thing.

In red.

And she was wet.

Little drops of water all over her.

It was like I was living my own personal Phoebe Cates from Fast Times fantasy... every man's dream.

All the blood in my body went straight to my cock.

I shook my head to clear it. "Wha?"

She wrapped a towel around herself and ran over. "How did it go?"

I snapped out of my funk and hugged her to me, not caring if my clothes were getting drenched. She wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me tightly in return.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure," she said, a hint of fear in her voice.

I tightened my hold for a minute before letting go and leading her inside and up to my room. She ran into the bathroom and threw on some clothes, coming back out to sit next to me on the bed as she brushed through her wet hair.

"What is it, Edward? What happened?"

I took her hand and turned toward her, wanting to ease her distress. I smiled and swallowed hard a couple times.

I'd never said the words I was about to utter to another person outside my family. I only prayed she would return the sentiments.

"There's something I need to tell you."

She put her brush down, both of our hands now connected as she stared at me.

"I have a lot of things to say, but the first is the most important."

She nodded and I took a deep breath.

"I love you."

* * *

**AN: How do you like being in Edward's head? What do you think is going on with Charlie? Will Bella have to make a choice between her father and Edward?**

**Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I updated. You probably know already, but if you don't, I've been busy working on my dissertation. Please bear with me a few more weeks and after that I should be able to get back to updating regularly.**

**Also, this story is up for fic of the week at The Lemonade Stand. Voting is here (just remove spaces): www . tehlemonadestand . net**

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs: **

**Let Me by iambeagle**

**Something True by BelieveItOrNot**

**Down Home by MrsSpaceCowboy**

**High Maintenance by daisyandphoebe**


	13. Chapter 13 The Getaway

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I seriously have so much love for these ladies.**

* * *

**The Getaway**

"Our goal is to raise sixty million before the primaries start. Unfortunately, we're a little behind at this point. July wasn't as good to us as we'd hoped, and we're currently sitting at around fifteen million."

I felt a poke to my side and lifted my head and straightened my shoulders. That was my mother's subtle way of telling me to pay attention.

Too bad I didn't give a flip about any of it.

I had no idea why I was required to be at this meeting. Caius and several other head honchos coordinating the campaign were droning on and on about issues I cared nothing about, and I was once again present simply in body.

My heart was thousands of miles away.

My mind was ruminating over the phone conversation from the night before.

And the rest of me was stuck in this room.

It had been four weeks since Edward left for filming and I returned to the East Coast. The first week, I ignored the pang in my chest and threw myself into the campaign. The second week, it was harder to distract myself from my aching heart. The last two weeks, I was walking around practically numb.

My parents were constantly hovering, wanting me to be at every dinner, every speech, every photo op, and I felt obligated to say yes every time.

I had promised my father I would help him each step of the way, and he had no trouble reminding me of that vow. Every time I mentioned taking a few days to fly to Vancouver, he shut me down and told me he needed me.

But Edward needed me, too. I knew he did, even though he'd been distant the last week on our daily phone calls.

As soon as he left, he kept asking me to come visit him. That he wanted me there. That he missed me so much.

It went from asking to pleading... and now nothing.

I didn't know which was worse, the hurt in his voice when he thought I didn't care enough to go or the disinterest now that he'd stopped trying.

It wasn't like I wanted to be away from him. There was nowhere I'd rather be. But I couldn't be in two places at once.

When I'd told him exactly that last night, his response left me feeling empty and... scared.

"_He's keeping you away from me, and you're just letting him do it." His voice sounded both angry and resigned. _

_I sighed. "He just wants to show solidarity as the campaign takes off. He's trying to appeal to the family values voters."_

_At least that was the explanation from my father._

"_Whatever. I guess just pencil me in when you have a free minute. Whatever year that may be."_

"_Don't be mad. I'm sorry."_

"_I'm not mad. I'm just... whatever. I don't even know what to say anymore."_

"_I told him I was going to visit you next week."_

"_That's what you said last week and the week before that."_

"_Things just keep popping up and he said he needed me. I'm sorry."_

_He mumbled something about things obviously more important than him. "Yeah. Sure. Anyway, I need to get off here. They need me on set."_

_I gripped the phone tightly, not liking his withdrawn tone. "Can I call you later?"_

"_I'm going out later with some of the crew, then I have an early call time tomorrow."_

_I took a deep breath and willed myself not to cry. "Will you call me after you're done tomorrow?"_

"_I guess."_

"_Edward, please. I'm sorry."_

_His silence lingered. "I have to go."_

"_I love you." _

_It had felt so good to say those three words to each other freely. I'd been shocked when Edward blurted them out that night after he met with my father, but it was the happiest moment of my life. _

_I may have tackled him. _

"_Yeah. Bye, Bella."_

_And now he didn't say them back. My heart broke inside my chest. _

"_Bye," I whispered._

He was pulling away from me. Even from the far distance I could feel it. It scared me that by supporting my father, I might be losing the love of my life.

And Edward was exactly that. At least on my end.

I loved him more than I'd ever loved anyone before.

"Isabella?"

My father's voice broke me out of my thoughts and I met his annoyed stare.

"Yes?"

"Yes, you agree?"

"I'm sorry. I missed part of the conversation. What were you asking me?"

Caius cleared his throat. "The Hearsts will be attending the dinner this evening. It would be beneficial to the campaign if you could put aside any past negative opinions for tonight."

My eyes darted from his to my father, who had suddenly taken a keen interest in the papers in front of him.

Mother squeezed my elbow. "You can be pleasant, right? For your father?"

Everyone was silent, waiting for me to agree. It was clear I was expected to play this part tonight despite what James had done to me. Nobody was in my corner. They all just wanted the Hearst money to flow toward the campaign again.

I swallowed thickly and finally nodded. I'd promised to help and I would do it, even if the thought of seeing James again made me sick.

"Excellent!" Caius said, rubbing his hands together. "Let's move on to the schedule for next week."

That was the point when I zoned out again.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

I waited all day for a call from Edward, but it never came. I even tried phoning him as I dressed for dinner, but it went straight to voicemail.

The knot of dread in my stomach just kept growing larger.

I fidgeted and plastered a fake smile on my face as I entered the posh Boston restaurant with my parents. We were quickly escorted to a private room, where at least ten tables were adorned with white linens, candles, fine china, and sparkling crystal wine glasses. Designer dresses and tailored suits outfitted the large crowd gathered to schmooze with my father.

I wished I was eating an In-N-Out burger on a couch with Edward.

As my father was the guest of honor, we were the last to arrive and my stomach fell further when we arrived at our table.

Of course we would be seated with _them_.

James and his parents all stood, and James pulled out my chair... right next to his.

"You look beautiful," he said, leaning in and kissing my cheek.

I forced myself not to cringe and sat down quickly, my father taking the place on my other side.

"I took the liberty of ordering the Pouilly-Fuisse," James murmured in my ear. "I know you love it."

I leaned away a bit, very uncomfortable with him being so close, and clenched my teeth under my fake smile. "Thank you."

I drank a large gulp of wine as soon as the server poured it, hoping to take the edge off this situation. Everyone chatted happily around the table as the salads were served, while I kept chugging the alcohol.

"How are you?" James asked, trailing his fingers down my arm.

I yanked my arm away and turned to glare at him. "Watch your hands."

He pulled away, but kept smiling. "We've been friends and lovers too long to let a little fight end everything. I was only curious as to how you are. I've missed talking to you."

I sighed and slumped my shoulders. Maybe I was overreacting. He seemed like he was only trying to be friendly.

"I'm great. Happy." _Kind of_.

His finger brushed my cheek. "You don't look very happy. I wish you would smile."

I turned my cheek away and groaned before taking another long drink. The server promptly refilled my wine glass for the third or fourth—hell, maybe it was fifth—time. James put his arm around the back of my chair and leaned in again.

"I've met with your father a few times over the last couple of weeks. Even though I've just made partner at the firm, I'm going to help out as much as possible with the campaign."

My stomach twisted as I listened. James was worming his way back into my life through my father.

_My father!_

He'd been so angry about the bruises, yet now seemed to be back right where we started. All for what?

_Money?_

"Don't they make a gorgeous couple?"

My eyes darted up at my mother's conspiratorial words, and I found her and Mrs. Hearst with their heads huddled together, both of them beaming in our direction. James tightened his arm around me, squeezing my shoulder and resting his head against mine.

What the hell was happening here?

I felt the wine rising back up my throat and threw my napkin on the table. "Excuse me," I said, breaking James' grip and standing up.

"Dinner's just been served," my father said, glancing up at me.

I wanted to scream at him, but I held back. "I'll be right back."

James stood next to me. "I'll escort you."

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I'll be back in a minute.

I hurried away, like someone was chasing me, and found refuge in the restroom. I slipped into a stall and pulled my phone out.

No new calls. No messages.

I pushed my hurt aside and dialed Edward's number. When it went to voicemail again, I hung up and burst into tears.

Everything was a mess. Especially me.

I was disgusted with my parents, with James, with the whole situation. I was disgusted with myself.

Maybe Edward was right and my father was using guilt trips to keep me with him and away from where I wanted to be. Had it been a lie when Father told me he wanted me to be happy?

As my sobs dwindled, my anger grew.

I felt betrayed and used, and there was only one thing I knew would make me feel better.

About myself.

About everything.

I fixed my face as much as I could and calmed myself with deep breaths. Everyone asked if I was okay when I finally returned to the table, and I played my part to perfection. I satisfied their pseudo concern and kept up polite small talk throughout the rest of dinner.

My father made his rounds afterward, and I smiled brightly at his side while Caius mentally counted the money coming in from new donors.

But all the pretending ended when I stepped foot back in my hotel room. I stripped off my fancy dress and tossed it aside... along with my regard for my father. I packed all my bags and called someone I knew could help me.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey Alice, I need a favor. Do you have Jane's number?"

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

"Isabella?"

I turned around to find a lovely, blonde woman standing in front of me. She was older, probably in her thirties, and had a smile that could light up a room.

I gave her a nod and smile in return. "Yes, that's me."

She held out her hand. "It's great to meet you. I'm Jane."

I dropped my bag and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you, too."

"Do you prefer Isabella or Bella? Edward always calls you Bella."

"Bella's fine."

Isabella was the prim and proper girl my parents wanted me to be. Bella was who _I_ wanted to be.

She smiled again and directed me over to the waiting car. The driver placed my bags in the trunk as we got settled in the back.

"I'm so happy you called me," she said.

I glanced over to take in her huge grin. She was practically bouncing on the seat.

"I just hope I don't interfere with anything."

She shook her head. "Edward is going to be shocked, but believe me, everyone will probably kiss the ground you walk on."

I laughed at that ridiculous statement. "_What?_"

"He's been in a bad mood for weeks." She waved her hands. "Don't get me wrong, he's professional. He's always professional. But he's also miserable. He has been since he left California... and _you_."

I was sad to hear that, yet at the same time it made me happy. Happy that he cared for me so much.

It was still hard for me to believe he loved me as much as I loved him.

I straightened my skirt and crossed my legs, reclining back for the drive. As soon as Alice had given me Jane's number the night before, I called her to make arrangements. I told her I was flying to Vancouver in the morning and she didn't stop squealing for almost a minute. She promised to meet me at the airport and take care of everything.

She said all I needed to do was show up.

"I've been miserable, too," I assured her.

Although with each minute that passed and I was closer to seeing him, the better I was feeling. My stomach fluttered with anticipation. I knew as soon as I was in his arms again, everything would be okay.

"Did you want to go to the hotel first? Get settled?"

"No." My knee bounced. "I really just want to see him. I want to go to the set first."

She nodded and informed the driver before turning back to me. "Have you ever been on a movie set before?"

"No." I chuckled and shook my head. "I studied the finished products and I've been to press conferences, but that's about as close as it gets."

She glanced at her phone. "He has an early day today, so I'm hoping he can wrap up pretty close to around when we arrive. That way you two will have the rest of the day alone together."

My stomach flipped. It had been too long since I'd seen him. Touched him. Kissed him.

I wanted to tell the driver to step on it.

"Have you been here with him the whole time?"

"No. I was here the first week or so... and then the last few days."

She sounded uneasy on the last part.

"Is everything okay? Why did you have to come back?"

She sent me a small smile. "Like I said, he's been moody. Did he tell you about the incident a couple days ago with the paparazzi?"

I sighed and shook my head. He really was holding things back from me.

Damn it all.

"It's nothing big. He got into it with someone and we had to smooth things over. I came back up here to make sure he was okay."

"And he was?"

"Yes, it's all taken care of. Especially now."

I knew she meant because I was here and I turned my head to look out the window. I hoped Edward would feel the same.

He sent me a short text in the middle of the night last night and that was the extent of our interaction in almost two days. It was possible he'd tried to contact me today, but I didn't know. My phone was now off because I had no desire to hear from or talk to either of my parents.

We finally pulled into a studio lot and Jane explained that some of the filming occurred outdoors for this movie, but most was in studio. I knew from Edward that it was a drama and action movie and he was playing the role of troubled, yet honorable man who finds himself being thrust into a police chief position in a small town at a young age.

I smiled to myself remembering asking him if his cop friends from Forks would snicker at seeing the local troublemaker wearing a badge.

Ugh. I missed him.

I craned my neck to watch the surroundings as we drove slowly through the lot, but nothing particularly stood out. There were a lot of buildings and trailers, with only a few people roaming about.

The car finally stopped and we got out, Jane leading the way.

"Don't worry about your things. They'll be fine here."

I nodded and followed her, not giving two cents about my bags. I only cared about finding Edward.

We walked down hallways and through many doors, Jane greeting several people along the way. Eventually we came upon a lobby-type area and I saw Demetri and Mike both lounging on a couch. I gave them a brief wave when they grinned my way, and Jane stopped at a door with her hand on the knob.

"Be quiet when we go in," she said. "I'll let you know as soon as I do how quickly he'll be done."

"Okay."

We crept in, slow and quiet, and I stayed behind Jane in the semi-darkness. It was mostly what I'd imagined film sets to look like. The room altogether was huge, but it was split. There was a staged room in front, well lit and set to look like an office of some sort. Then the darker half was filled with people and cameras, everyone looking focused and a bit somber. Jane stopped to whisper to someone, and my breath caught when I saw Edward walk in through a door and out into the lit area.

My heart pounded in my chest at the sight of him. How did he get more beautiful every time I saw him?

His face was set in a frown as a couple people flitted around him, touching up his makeup and clothes. He looked like his normal self to me, though, wearing a blue button down and faded jeans, his hair a sexy mess.

I moaned a little.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked softly.

I shook my head and stared at her. "Yes, sorry."

She giggled and took my hand. "Come on, we can get a little closer. This is his last scene today and they're hoping this is the last take."

People bustled about and we stayed in the background and away from the action. My eyes were only on Edward.

He rolled his head around a couple times and shook his hands. It looked like he was mumbling to himself as he stared at the floor, his face set in an angry expression.

I hoped that was for his character and not his real mood.

Everything seemed to still at once after someone yelled out "Picture is up!" Then it was "Roll sound!" and "Roll camera!" and finally "Action!" It was exciting to see all the details behind-the-scenes in what occurs to make a movie.

The scene started with Edward standing by the desk, looking down at a photo. After the phone rang several times, he seemed to shake himself out of his thoughts and answered it gruffly. I jumped a little when a few seconds later he threw the phone at the wall and it shattered. He screamed out and proceeded to completely trash this make-believe office.

I hoped this was the last take because I imagined it would take awhile for the crew to set it all up again.

When the director yelled "Cut!", everyone started talking again and Edward paced around the set, his chest heaving and fists clenched.

I had to clench my thighs together because I could feel his testosterone-fueled anger from across the room. I wanted to run up there and let him throw me down on the desk to relieve some tension.

His _and_ mine.

And I didn't care that there was a room full of onlookers.

Damn.

When I broke out of my lust-filled haze, I noticed Jane talking with the director. He turned his head, his eyes falling on me. When he sent a smile my way, I returned it.

Then my focus returned to Edward. He seemed to be calming down a little, but kept pacing.

"That's a wrap for today!" the director yelled out.

Edward's head turned at those words and he stopped pacing. My whole body tingled when his intense gaze moved past the director and on to me.

He kept staring, his lips parting a little. The anger on his face disappeared and was replaced with surprise.

I moved forward a couple steps, stopping when I realized I had no authority just to bust my way up there. But I didn't need to bother anyway.

Edward practically sprinted through the crowd and stood right in front of me seconds later.

"You're..." he broke off.

"Yes," I answered, to what I didn't know.

I could barely think or breathe or do anything. The air felt like it was sparking with energy, and I was afraid if I hugged him I would start tearing clothes off in front of this crowd.

I'd never needed anything in my life more than I needed to be alone with him right now. He must have had the same idea because he took my hand and pulled me back toward the way we came in.

I whimpered from his touch.

"Fuck," he answered in his own way.

Faces were a blur as we hurried along, zipping through the same hallways I'd been through not long before. People approached him, but he didn't acknowledge anyone. He was on a mission and so was I. He kept a firm grip on my hand and I was almost running to keep up.

I just wanted to be alone with him. Wasn't there a room we could duck into somewhere? It felt like we'd been walking for miles.

"Please," I begged.

We burst out through a door and were outside. He stopped and turned around, his hands moving up to cradle my face. His lips were on mine, fast and hard, his fingers sliding back to tangle in my hair. He laid a kiss on me that made my knees buckle.

When he pulled away, we were both panting. I wondered if my eyes were as crazed as his.

"I... _fuck_." He grabbed my hand again and we started jogging. "Hurry. I swear on everything holy I'm about to throw you on the ground right now."

_Yes. Please._

We made it to a trailer, and Mike was loitering outside.

"Go far away," Edward barked at him, helping me—or pushing me—inside.

We didn't make it any further than the door. Edward spun us around and pressed me into it as soon as it was closed. He lifted me up, and I wrapped my arms and legs around him to be as close as possible.

Our teeth crashed against each other in our eagerness, but it didn't slow us down. He moaned into my mouth and I savored the taste of him as we kissed frantically.

I knew I couldn't go this long without him again.

"I need... can I..." he panted, his hands kneading my thighs.

"Yes!"

We needed to talk, but it could wait. He kept me pinned to the door, groaning against my lips while I fumbled with the button on his jeans. One of his hands left my leg and he managed to free himself before my shaky fingers could accomplish the task.

He then just grabbed my panties and slid them over to the side. I was so happy I'd worn a skirt.

We both groaned when he pushed inside me. I wrapped my arms back around his neck and kissed him as hard as I could.

His thrusts were hard and fast, my back pounding against the door each time. The sound echoed in the tiny space, but I didn't care.

I didn't care if everyone in the world heard.

All I cared about was being with him.

This was exactly what I needed. To know he craved me as much as I did him.

His mouth slid along my jaw, his lips landing on my neck. "Fuck. I don't... I'm not going to last... "

I gripped his hair, panting in his ear. "It's okay. I'm close."

And I was. Our bodies rocked together a few more times, and I moaned loudly as I stiffened. I came harder than I ever had before. He was even louder, his arms tightening around me when he followed.

"That was... "

_Amazing. Incredible. Earth-shattering._

He kissed my words away softly, and I knew he felt the same way. I kept myself wrapped around him, unsure whether my wobbly legs would even work at this point.

Before I said another word, he walked us both over to a couch and laid me down on top. I felt the loss as soon as he moved away, but was happy to see that he was only removing his clothes. I shed mine at the same time, tossing them to the floor.

He returned in a flash, his kisses deep as he slid back inside me. It seemed that no recovery time was needed after being apart so long.

"I missed you so much," he said between kisses.

I hugged him, my eyes tearing up. "I've been like a zombie for weeks. I missed you, too."

He pulled back only to press his forehead to mine and stare into my eyes. Our bodies stilled, content to simply be connected.

"I started to think you didn't really care." He brushed a tear from my cheek with his thumb.

"I did. I _do_. I hope you believe me."

"I do now." He kissed me again, rocking into me gently. "I'm a shit. An asshole. I hope you didn't come here just because I was being a dick."

"I didn't. I came because I wanted to. I needed to be with you."

He moaned and sucked on the special spot under my ear. My toes curled and I arched my back, loving the way he went even deeper.

Everything felt so good.

Perfect.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

He brushed a piece of hair from my face and smiled. I had no idea how long the two of us had been locked together on this couch, but I cherished every second. We lay there facing each other in our blissful bubble.

"I love you."

My insides melted. I'd gotten those words back.

"I love you, too."

His finger brushed over my lips. "How long are you staying?"

"How long do you want me to stay?"

He laughed. "Forever."

I needed to tell him everything that happened back in Boston. My feelings about my father. James. The whole campaign. The fact that I'd taken off without so much as a goodbye to anyone.

But I didn't want to ruin the moment.

I kissed his finger instead. "I'll remind you of that when you get sick of me."

"I don't think that's possible."

I hoped that was true, because at this point I never wanted to go back.

* * *

**AN: Did Bella make the right decision? How big do you think the fallout will be with her family? **

**I appreciate all your notes of encouragement as I finish my degree and your patience with my slow updating schedule. Hopefully it won't be too much longer before I can post chapters more regularly.**

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Down Home by MrsSpaceCowboy**

**Popsicle Sticks by EmmaMama88**

**The Cullen Legacy by pattyrose**

**Polaroid by RockRaven244**

**At Last by coloradoperson**


	14. Chapter 14 The Plan

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I seriously have so much love for these ladies.**

* * *

**The Plan**

"They did _what_?"

Edward's eyes bulged and he stood up to pace around the room. When we finally came up for air after our reunion in his trailer, he brought me back to the hotel he'd been staying in while filming. We spent the evening enjoying room service hamburgers in bed.

Well, we were enjoying them until I brought up some of the reasons behind my surprise arrival.

"It was made clear to me that I had to put on a happy face for the Hearsts," I told him again.

He stared at me. "And who was in the room when they made you agree?"

"My parents, the campaign manager, political director, communications director, finance director, and about twenty other senior advisors and strategists."

"So basically you were alone in a room full of sharks and had no choice?" He clenched his fists and started pacing again, letting out an ominous-sounding chuckle. "I'm sorry, but your parents are sick fucks." He stopped and stared at me again. "Tell me about the dinner."

I swallowed a couple times. While it was nice watching him strutting around in only boxers, I hated seeing him upset. I knew telling him about James was not going to be pleasant.

But it had to be done.

"It was uncomfortable." I tugged on the hem of Edward's T-shirt I was wearing as I sat on the bed. "James was going beyond his normal politeness. He told me he's been meeting with my father over the last few weeks. Then my mother and his were making remarks about how good we looked together. Now that I think about it, they all seemed in cahoots. Like they'd all planned beforehand to try and get me to reconcile with him."

How could my own parents treat me like that?

Edward sat down next to me and took my hand. "Are you okay?"

I shrugged. "I should have always known they never really loved me. I was a necessary puzzle piece to form the perfect family. My whole life has been training on how to act properly, to be seen and not heard. To never show emotion and obey without question. We were never a real family, I was more like an asset."

I'd never said those words out loud to anyone. Not even Rose. I usually always made excuses, often even to myself, for their behavior and my relationship with them.

Because the truth hurt more than anything.

My own parents didn't love me. I was given wealth, the finest education, and prestige, but never attention, understanding, or support. I had been molded my entire life into exactly what they wanted.

What did it say about me that I allowed it for so long?

Was I weak? Had they been conditioning me from the start to be content with loveless relationships? Was I always so quick to appease their every request simply because I was constantly seeking their approval and love?

Was stumbling into Edward the luckiest day of my life?

It was like he had removed the wool from my eyes and I could now see things clearly. Now that I could, I didn't like what I saw.

I had to be honest with myself and admit the possibility that no matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, no matter how pleasing I was, they may never love me.

Edward wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to straddle his lap and holding me tight.

Holding me together.

His affection and knowing exactly what I needed flipped a switch. It was like a dam broke inside me, and I crumbled. I started crying and couldn't stop. Edward just held me. He never said a single word as I sobbed into his neck.

It went on for minutes. Hours. I didn't know. It was like there was a poison inside me and I had to get it all out at once or it would continue eating away.

Surprisingly I felt a lot better when my tears eventually died down to sniffles, my body slumped against his in exhaustion.

"I was wondering when you were going to finally let it all out." His hands stroked up and down my back. "You've been holding that all in for way too long."

I wiped my eyes and blew my nose when he handed me some tissues. "Don't you see, though?" I cried. "What does this mean for me? For _us_? I think I love you and you love me, but what do I really know about it? What if I'm not any good at it? I'm messed up."

He chuckled and kissed me all over my blotchy face. "First of all, you're not messed up. You're sweet and nice, and if anything, too giving. There is such a thing as being too considerate. Too loyal. Sometimes it's okay to call a fucker out. I don't know how you managed to come out of that fucked up mess the wonderful person you are, but you did." He kissed my lips. "And second, you're already good at it. I was brought up with the two best parents ever, and I'm still not sure what I'm doing. But whatever we're both doing is working. We can figure it out together."

I let out a half-sob and half-laugh, wrapping my arms around his neck. "How do you always know how to make me feel better?"

"I'm just awesome like that."

I snorted and hugged him tighter. We held each other and rocked back and forth silently. It was nice to just be able to hold someone. To let him hold me.

"Now back to our conversation from earlier," he said, finally breaking the quiet. "What did you mean when you said Dickless Wonder was acting _beyond_ his normal politeness?"

I should have known he'd remember that.

"Promise you won't go kill him?" I placed my hands on his cheeks. "I mean, I don't care about him. I just don't want you to get into trouble."

He chuckled and then frowned. "It's that bad? What did that shithead do?"

I sighed. "He had wandering hands and kept leaning in too close. I told him to stop, but he was putting on a show like everyone else. Our mothers were egging him on."

His jaw tensed, but he was quiet. I brushed my fingers along his face, kissing him and trying to get him to smile again.

"It got to a point when I couldn't take it any longer. I excused myself and hid in the bathroom for a while. I tried to call you, but—"

"I'm sorry." He nuzzled my nose. "I was angry and stupid."

"It's okay. I understand."

His arms tightened around me. "Then what happened?"

"I realized what was most important to me and did something about it." I kissed him again. "As soon as I got back to the hotel, I packed my bags and got Jane's number from your sister. I left on the earliest flight this morning."

He flipped us to the bed, his body pressed on top of mine. My heart pounded when he kissed me deeply.

"_Mmm_," he hummed into my mouth before easing back to brush his lips lightly along my jaw and neck. "I've never had a better surprise. I couldn't believe it when I saw you standing there."

He lifted up to hover above me with a grin, and the sight of him so happy made everything worth it.

"What did your parents say when you told them you were leaving and coming here?"

"Uh..." I bit my lip and giggled nervously. "I didn't exactly tell them."

His mouth fell open. "You _what_?"

"I didn't tell anyone. If I had, they would have tried to stop me. All I was thinking about was getting here."

He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. I sat up too, leaning back against the headboard.

"Should I expect a team of Secret Service agents knocking on the door or anything?" he asked with a chuckle, rubbing my legs. "Don't get me wrong, I'll take all those fuckers out. I just want to be prepared."

I laughed when his fingers tickled my knees, and I kicked out at him.

"No. Secret Service protection won't begin until after he wins the nomination."

His hands stilled on my ankles and he stared at me. "I know they're assholes, and I want you here more than anything, but you need to tell them where you are."

"I know. I will." I blew out a gust of air and pointed across the room. "Would you hand me my carry-on bag over there?"

He nodded and walked over to grab it. I pulled out my phone and turned it on, grimacing at the number of voicemail and text messages I had.

"I guess I'll turn mine on, too," he said, sitting back down beside me as we both scrolled through our messages.

I didn't even feel like listening to the voicemails, opting instead to call Rose first.

"It's about time!" she yelled after one ring.

"Sorry. I saw your 911 message. What's going on?"

"_What's going on?_ Are you really asking me that?" She huffed loudly. "Where are you? Both of your parents have called me freaking out and Alec even came by. What's going on with _you_?"

"I'm fine. I should have called you so you didn't worry, but I've been avoiding my parents. I'm... um... I'm with Edward."

"That's what I figured," she said, sounding calmer. "I didn't tell them that, but that's where I assumed you'd be. It's likely they're thinking the same thing. Why are you avoiding their calls? What happened? Last I knew you were in Boston."

"I was." I proceeded to give her a brief rundown of yesterday's events, while trying to ignore the way Edward's hand felt so good sliding up and down my thigh.

"Wow," she said after I'd finished. "Good for you! I can't believe you did that, but I love that you did. It's about time you stood up for yourself. Screw them."

"What did Alec say to you?"

"He was cool. I think he was mostly here for show. Alec's on your side more than you know. He just told me to get in touch with you and that he's only trying to make sure you're okay."

I agreed with that sentiment for the most part. I knew Alec didn't like James and that he'd never liked Caius.

"Anything else I need to know?"

"Well... the tabloids are saying some things. That's the other reason I sent you the emergency text. I thought maybe you were hiding from this."

I sat up straighter. "_What?_"

"A couple of gossip sites have headlines saying something about you cheating on Edward. Hold on, let me grab my laptop."

My heart pounded in my chest while I waited, and I glanced over at Edward. He was frowning down at his phone, his fingers still clutching my leg.

"Here it is. The headline is _First Daughter Drops Cullen, Back With Ex_. It goes on describing some intimate dinner between you and James. That scumbag probably fed it all to them."

I grabbed Edward's hand, linking our fingers and hoping these lies wouldn't upset him. Rose was probably right about James feeding them bad information.

I imagined my father was as upset about the stories involving me as he was about my disappearance. He hated the tabs calling me _First Daughter_, making it sound like he was already sitting in the White House. He thought it gave his political enemies more fuel for the fire.

"Thanks for telling me. I'll talk to Edward about it. He already knows what happened last night."

"Good, good. So how long are you staying there?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I'll be in touch. I'll let you know when we figure things out."

"Okay. Jasper's set to arrive tomorrow. I imagine he'll want to chill for a few days and I'm going to hang out with him. Are you sure you're fine with him staying here?"

"Yes, of course. You know he's more than welcome for however long he wants to stay. Tell him I said hello. I can't wait to see him again."

"I'm just glad he's coming home for good. I have no idea what he'll want to do next, but at least it won't involve war zones."

I smiled, so happy for my best friend getting her brother back. Jasper was a sweetheart, too. I bet he'd get along great with Edward.

"I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay. Tell Edward hi and to watch his back."

I chuckled even though her words made me nervous. "Bye, Rose."

"Bye."

I sighed and ended the call, meeting Edward's gaze.

"She told me there's some tabloid drama—"

"I already know. Jane texted me." He pulled me over onto his lap again. "It's okay. That's part of my life and I'm used to them printing lies. I just hate that you're being dragged into it."

I leaned back against his chest, resting my head on his shoulder while he rubbed my stomach.

"I love this," he murmured in my ear. "Being able to hold you as much as I want."

"I love it, too." I sighed happily and let my body relax. "Keep holding me because I'm going to need it. I'm calling my father now."

It was just past one in the morning on the East Coast, but I wanted to get this over with. I held the phone out in front of me and pressed my father's number.

"It'll be fine," Edward whispered in my ear, wrapping his arms tight around me.

I didn't even realize how much I was trembling until he said that.

"Isabella?" my father snapped.

"Hello, Father."

"Where _are_ you? Do you have any idea how worried we've been? I called the police thinking you might have been kidnapped."

I rolled my eyes. I doubt if I'd been kidnapped they would have allowed me to pack all of my suitcases.

"I'm sorry. I should have left a note or told you before I left. I was just in a hurry."

"Where are you?" he repeated.

"I'm in Vancouver."

Edward squeezed me and I gripped his arm with my free hand.

"You went there even though you knew I needed you here?" He groaned with frustration. "How could you do this?"

It was no surprise he was irrational and disbelieving. I'd never done anything this rebellious before.

"I needed some time for myself." I took a deep breath. "You should never have forced James on me again. I can't believe you did that."

"I didn't force him on you. I only asked you to be polite. Don't tell me having a meal sitting next to him was some kind of torture. You're being too dramatic."

I heard my mother sniping about something in the background before my father continued his ranting.

"I agreed that you didn't have to marry him, but you couldn't put on a smile for me? That's all I was asking. I've sat James down several times recently and he's been nothing but be sincere and apologetic. I made sure it was clear to him that if he ever laid a hand on _my_ daughter again, it'd be the last thing he ever did."

And there it was. My father's anger over the bruises wasn't about _me_. It was about James disrespecting _him_.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and forbade myself from crying.

"I did what you asked. I smiled and sat through dinner. You have your support from the Hearsts, and now I'm taking some time for myself."

"With _Cullen_?" He said Edward's name like he was in pain.

"Yes, I'm here with Edward."

"Just how long were planning on staying there?"

"I don't know yet."

He groaned again. "Isabella, listen to me. You cannot just shack up with your boyfriend. Do you have any idea how that looks?" He paused and muttered something at my mother. "A visit? Fine. But you can't stay there. My opponents in the primary will eat me alive with this."

"They'll say your father can't possibly be President if he can't even control his whore of a daughter!" My mother was in the background, but I heard her screaming loud and clear.

My breath shuddered as I tried not to cry. Nobody spoke for a minute and the silence hurt as much as my mother's horrible words.

My father said nothing to defend me.

He finally sighed. "Stay there for a couple of days, but I'd like you to be home by the weekend. There's an important gala in New York on Saturday that you promised you'd attend. I expect you to be there."

My stomach twisted. That was too soon. It wouldn't be enough time with Edward.

I didn't want to go back.

"Isabella? Did you hear me?"

"Yes, I heard you."

"So I'll see you on Saturday?"

I gripped Edward's hand and closed my eyes.

"No."

"No? What do you mean _no_?" he yelled.

Adrenaline pumped through my body and I panted for air. It was scary for me to talk to him like this, but I didn't know what else to do.

"I won't be home Saturday. I'll... uh... I'll call you in a few days to let you know when I'll be back."

He was silent again and Edward kissed my neck. Just his touch made me feel stronger.

"I don't know what's going on," my father said. "I'm not sure what's behind this behavior. You've never been like this before, and I've never been more disappointed in you. I hope you'll come to your senses soon. I've given you everything your entire life, and I don't ask for much in return. Think about that tonight. I'll call you tomorrow, and I hope you'll be more reasonable. Don't even think about ignoring my calls again unless you want me to send someone out there to get you."

"I'm not a child."

"Yes, you are. You're acting like a child. And until you're married, you're _my_ child and _my_ responsibility."

I shook my head. Sometimes it felt like he was still stuck in the 1950s.

"Goodnight, Isabella."

He hung up before I could respond again, and I threw my phone on the bed.

"Tell me," Edward said.

"He's mad."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I got that from the screaming. But how do you feel?"

I twisted a little in his lap and buried my nose in his neck. "I'm not sure. I thought I'd be completely torn up inside from telling him no, but it feels right. He's not just going to let this go, though. He was spewing all kinds of nonsense about my being his responsibility, as if I was still a little girl or something. He said he would send someone out here to get me if I didn't fly back home."

"Over my dead body."

I smiled and kissed his jaw. "He's mostly concerned about how it reflects on him. He thinks his opponents will attack his socially conservative platform by pointing out his daughter is a slut living in sin with her Hollywood boyfriend."

"I can't even... " His voice was shaking with rage. "Fuck them! Anyone who says that about you... I'll..."

I grabbed his clenched fist and kissed his knuckles. "You won't do _anything_. Like you said, it's not important what others say. I just can't do everything on my father's terms anymore. I can't."

"I know you can't, and I don't want you to." He squeezed me hard. "I just fucking _hate _how they make you feel bad about yourself and your choices. I hate it."

"I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I want to stay with you."

"I love you." He kissed me over and over, until I was trying to pull him down on top of me. He laughed and eased back. "Hold on. I want to... _fuck_. I've been thinking about this ever since you got here." He grabbed his hair and licked his lips. "This may sound crazy."

"Crazy? _You?_" I teased. "What is it?"

"Let's get married."

My mouth dropped open, and I shook my head, knowing I must have heard him wrong.

"_What?_"

"We'll go get married. Let's do it."

"I... I... " I wasn't even sure what to say. "Why? Put a ring on my finger and make me an honest woman?"

He snorted. "Hell no. You know I don't give a fuck about that stupid conservative shit. This is because I want you to be with me, and unfortunately you don't come alone. Your parents will be around, even if you don't want them to be. But us being married will make them back off."

"I'd rather you want to be married because you want me to be your wife and make a family. Not because of my parents."

"I do! It's not just your parents. I _want_ to get married. Fuck it. I know you're the one for me. I have from the start." He grinned at me, his eyes sincere. "Will you marry me?"

My mind whirled and my heart raced. I tried to push everything and everyone out of my head except for the man in front of me.

How could I possibly deny him when he was all I really wanted?

"Fuck!" He jumped up, and I fell to the bed as I watched him run across the room and start digging through his travel bags.

He kept flinging items around the room and grabbing his hair. I couldn't help giggling at him. All I saw was his back as he kept tugging and pulling on something I couldn't quite make out.

Suddenly he turned back around and raced to the bed, pulling me off and helping me stand. He knelt down in front of me and held my hand. My heart almost burst when he tied a shoestring around my finger and into a bow.

"I know this is the lamest ring in history, but I promise I'll go out tomorrow and buy you a huge sparkly diamond. I also promise to love you forever and make you happy every single day." He kissed my hand. "Bella, will you marry me?"

I'd never had a day where my emotions fluctuated from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs and back and forth again. The tears streaming down my cheeks this time were happy ones. I palmed his cheek and stared into his eyes.

"_Yes_."

* * *

**AN: Anyone think Charlie and Renee are going to go postal with this news? Do you think Bella and Edward should elope or plan a big wedding? **

**I'm eager to bring Jasper into the story and also to see what happens when the Cullen parents finally meet the Swan parents. I'm taking bets now on how long it will take Esme to bitchslap Renee ;) xoxo**

**I appreciate all your notes of encouragement as I finish my degree and your patience with my slow updating schedule (even though this chapter was a pretty quick update). Hopefully it won't be too much longer before I can post chapters more regularly.**

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Capital E, Everything by fortheloveofdaisies**

**Let Me by iambeagle**

**Adore, Adore by ooza**

**Wisp by Cris**


	15. Chapter 15 The Change of Plans

**Both Chapter 15 and 16 will be in EPOV, then Bella will be back.**

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I seriously have so much love for these ladies.**

* * *

**The Change of Plans**

She said _yes_.

I couldn't quite believe it.

It's not that I thought I wasn't marriage material. Fuck that. I knew I was a fucking catch. Girls had been trying to nail me down forever.

But Bella was the only girl _I _wanted to nail down, and I thought for sure it would take a little more convincing before she agreed. It was crazy and impulsive and very _unBella_-like.

Yet, she did. She fucking said yes.

I was ready for her to be my ball and chain her up right now.

_Wait._ That sounded bad even in my head.

Bella and I didn't really talk much more after my proposal, unless you counted the intimate conversation between my tongue and her pussy. I made my girl feel good over and over before she fell asleep.

But I couldn't sleep. Not even with her in my arms.

My mind was running a million miles a minute, in twenty different directions. I wanted to book a flight immediately, take her to Vegas, and tie the knot. She could have my last name by tomorrow.

It would be quick. No mess. No fuss.

And she would be mine.

Officially.

Legally.

Her parents could go fuck themselves.

And if that piece of shit James ever thought about touching her again, I'd kill him. Bella never came out and said it, but I knew he was behind the newest tabloid gossip. He had to be. Jane kept me apprised of the latest rumblings, and all the paps were still hungry for every scrap they could find on me and Bella together. The public loved our "story" and wanted more of it. For the vultures to do a one-eighty and claim we're finished, they had to have some solid source information.

_James_.

I hated that fucker.

I clenched my jaw and untangled my arms from around Bella, sliding away and trying not to disturb her. I brought the covers up and tucked her in before grabbing my phone and shutting myself in the bathroom.

I needed to talk to someone. A certain someone. It was a little after four in the morning, but I knew he wouldn't care if I called him this late.

Or early.

Whatever.

"Edward?"

"Hey, Dad."

I heard him rustling around, probably getting out of bed.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm great. Good." I ran a hand through my hair and exhaled. "I just needed to talk."

"Hold on, let me go downstairs. Your mom's asleep."

I sat down on the ledge of the tub, my knees bouncing with excess energy.

"Tell me what's on your mind," he said a minute later.

_What's on my mind?_

I laughed, grabbing a towel to cover my face and muffle the noise. It would be hard to explain every crazy thought running through my head.

"Edward, are you drunk?"

"No." I gasped for air, trying to calm down. "I... I'm engaged."

"What? _Engaged?_"

I took a couple more deep breaths. "Yeah. I asked Bella to marry me and she said yes."

"Ah... er... are you sure about this? You've only been together a couple months."

"It doesn't matter. I knew it from the start. She's the one I want."

He chuckled. "Well, congratulations. When you know, you know." The smile in his voice helped ease my anxiety.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I just... I'm thinking about trying to get a couple days away. We can fly down to Vegas, get married, and then come back. I'm sure Jane and Paul can work something out with Simon. There's three weeks left of filming, but I've gotten through my toughest scenes."

"Woah, _Vegas_? What's the rush here? Why not plan a real ceremony so your families can be there? I want to be there when my eldest gets married, and your mother would be crushed if she missed it."

My shoulders slumped. "I want you there, too. But—"

"No buts. I can't believe Bella would agree to that either. I don't know her well, but from what I've gathered, her family is quite traditional."

"That's exactly it!" I shouted before slapping my forehead. I would wake her up if I didn't calm my ass down. "Her family... they're a bunch of assholes. They use her, treat her like garbage, call her names. Her own mother called her a whore!"

I forced myself to sit still and not punch the wall like I wanted to. I was so fucking angry about the way they treated her.

Silence fell between us before he cleared his throat. "Her mother really called her a... "His voice broke off, like he literally couldn't say the word. "She really said that?"

"Yes."

"I think you need to tell me what's going on. Why would she say something like that?"

"Because Bella flew here to be with me. They don't want her to be with me."

"And you think rushing off to Vegas for a quickie wedding is the answer?"

"Why not? If we're married, then they will _have_ to accept me in her life. They won't be able to do anything about it."

He sighed. "I agree with that sentiment, but it could only cause more conflict for Bella. I'm going to tell you straight right now. Running to Vegas seems a bit cowardly. Like you're sneaking off and trying to steal her away." He paused and I rubbed my face. "Her father's a powerful man—perhaps he'll even be the President one day—so I understand if you're uncomfortable—"

"You think I'm scared of him?" I stood up and paced the bathroom. "I'm not. It has nothing to do with that. It has to do with them keeping her from me. If I did this the traditional way and went to him—asked for his blessing—he'd turn me away."

"You don't know that for sure. At least you'd show him your integrity and that you love his daughter enough to face him and ask. If after doing so he doesn't budge, then by all means, you and Bella marry as you want. She's an adult and can make her own choices. I'm only thinking of your futures. I'm afraid if you two elope right now, with no warning, he'll never truly accept you. He'll always be trying to get between you and Bella."

As his words sunk in, they made sense. Even though I wished Bella would break away completely from her asshats of parents, that wasn't feasible. She would always be connected to them, and because of that, it would be the honorable thing to do to go talk to her father first.

Even if he didn't deserve the consideration.

"I understand what you're saying," I told him, sitting back down.

"Don't sound so down," he said with a chuckle. "No matter what you two decide to do, you're engaged. My boy's _engaged_."

He let out what sounded like a sob, and I squirmed in my seat. He was getting sappy in his old age.

"Dad, come on."

"Sorry. I'm just happy for you. I'm proud of you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I do." I always did. He'd never once let me down. It was easy to appreciate how great my parents were when I had Bella's to compare them to. "Thanks for everything, Dad. I don't tell you that enough."

We were both quiet for a minute.

"Is everything else going well?" he asked.

"Yeah. Everything's good." I yawned and suddenly wanted nothing more than to wrap myself around Bella again. "As soon as Bella and I figure out what we want to do, I'll call and let you know. Even if she'd rather go off to Vegas, I want you and Mom to be there."

"I appreciate that, although I hope you know we can plan a small wedding anywhere. We could even have it here. If you talk to the Swans and they want no part in it, your mother would be more than willing to help Bella with any planning. No matter what, I hope you'll call your mom tomorrow—or later today—and tell her the good news. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep it from her."

I laughed. "Yeah, you don't hide things very well."

"Not from your mother, I don't. She has some kind of sixth sense about secrets."

"I'll call her. I promise."

"Okay. Well, you go get some sleep and keep me in the loop. I'm behind you no matter what happens."

"Thanks, Dad. Bye."

"Bye."

I stared at the phone for a few minutes, thinking over my dad's words. He'd always been the most supportive person in my life. Especially when I'd gotten myself into trouble a few times over the years. His love never wavered, even if I knew some of my actions disappointed him.

It was his disappointment more than anything that made me change. Made me choose the right paths.

I wondered if I would ever be half the father he was.

Shit.

Me? A _father_?

I took a couple deep breaths, trying to ward off any hyperventilation. But then I thought of Bella. They would be her kids, too. That calmed me down a little.

Except they would have some Swan genes.

_Fuck_.

What if they inherited her mother's evilness and her father's controlling, assholic tendencies? Add those together with my craziness and Bella and I could have tiny maniacs running circles around us.

That thought should have made me panic more, but I smiled instead. I'd love those little fuckers no matter what.

I was chuckling to myself as I crept back into the bedroom and under the sheets. I scooted in behind her, wrapping my arms around her warm body. She flipped around, still asleep, until she was facing me, her face settling in the crook of my neck.

I loved this. Her being here beside me.

This time I fell right to sleep.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

I groaned when the phone rang for my wake-up call, and I reached over to make it stop. It was my own fault for only getting three hours of sleep. When I flipped back over to snooze a little longer with Bella, she shot up in a panic.

She was patting the bed and sheets around her, searching for something, but I was focused on the fact her goods were on full display. Her tits were _right there_, bouncing in front of my face.

"Where _is_ it?" she screeched.

I tried to bite a nipple, but she pushed me away.

"What are you looking for?"

She threw up her hands like it should be obvious. "My ring!"

I laughed and pounced on her, tackling her to the bed, before reaching over to her nightstand to grab the shoestring from last night.

"Is _this_ what you're looking for?" I dangled it over her head.

Her glare changed to a soft smile and she nodded. "Yes. Give it to me."

I slipped the loop back over her finger and kissed her, morning breath and all. When I pulled away, she stared at me with a bright grin.

"I'm getting you a real one, silly woman."

She held her hand up, looking at the string. "I know, but I love this one. I'll always keep it." She placed her hand over her heart, covering it with her other hand.

She kept making me love her more.

I sat up and pulled her up with me, loving that she didn't feel the need to cover herself. She was quite the dichotomy sometimes. She could be shy and nervous, especially in tense situations, but when we were alone together, she was mostly open and bold, never hiding her sexual side.

And fuck was she sexual.

She may have been naive about some things when we met, but she loved experimenting. Her appetite in bed rivaled mine.

_Damn. _

I stopped myself from jumping her again, knowing we needed to get a move on if I didn't want to be late. She and I raced around taking showers and getting dressed, finally making it down to the waiting car. Demetri held the door open for us and we jumped in.

I grabbed her hand once we were settled, smiling at the string around her finger.

"Are you going to wear that all day?"

She shrugged. "I would, but I'll probably keep it in my pocket when we get there. I know people would probably ask too many questions."

I squeezed her hand. It was time to find out what she wanted.

"How soon do you want to get married?"

She scooted closer on the seat, her eyes meeting mine. "Soon."

"Really?" My heart pounded. "How soon?"

"If it were up to me, I'd say let's go right now. A few months ago the idea of getting married made me sick, but now I can't wait." She paused and lowered her head. "But my parents... "

"What about them?"

She huffed. "I don't know what they're going to do or say. Probably nothing I want to hear. I kind of want to just do it and then tell them after it's done. But then part of me wishes they could be there for me. Be happy for me." A tear fell down her cheek and I brushed it away with my thumb. "Any wedding I ever imagined in my head, my father walked me down the aisle and gave me away. How messed up is it that I still want that? Yet at the same time I don't?"

I hugged and squeezed her, hating how torn up her parents made her feel.

"I think that's understandable. It's natural to want your parents to be there for you."

She groaned and lifted her head. "I'm okay, I promise. I can't keep letting myself get so upset."

I wondered if maybe she'd feel better if she talked to Eleazar sometime. It couldn't hurt anyway. I would broach that subject at some point soon.

"After you fell asleep last night, I stayed up thinking." I pulled back so I could watch her face. "At first, all I wanted to do was take you to Vegas in the next few days." Her eyes widened a little, but she didn't say anything. "But then I called my dad, and we talked for a while."

"What did he say? Was he mad?"

I laughed and shook my head. "No. He wasn't mad at all. He's happy for us. He was a little upset about the prospect of not being there for our wedding, but he understood the reasons behind my wanting to do it quickly."

"So you want to go to Vegas?"

"Do you?"

She pursed her lips. "Yes and no. Yes, because we could go without interference from anyone. The most important thing to me is being with you. Getting married to _you_. I want our day to be about _us_ and what makes us happy... without any drama. Then the warring part of my brain is telling me I will only get married once. Do I really want some rushed ceremony with Elvis taking us through our vows?"

I held in my laughter, letting her continue.

"I had a dream last night. We were on a beach at sunset. Only our close friends and family were there. It was private and simple and elegant. I wore a pretty white dress and carried flowers. My father walked me down the aisle and even my mother smiled from her seat. Is that dream impossible to have?"

I swallowed a few times, wondering if it _was_ impossible. She wasn't asking for much. Barely anything at all. All I knew was that I would do everything I could to make it happen.

"Let's forget Vegas right now. I have this weekend free... or I will. You said there was something in New York your father wanted you to attend on Saturday, right?" I waited for her nod. "Then let's fly there, go together to this thing, and we'll also tell your father we're engaged."

And I would pull him aside by myself at some point and make that fucker see the light.

In any way I had to.

If he wanted his daughter's support, then he was going to back her up too. The days of him and his wife crushing her spirit were over.

Her lips parted as she stared at me with wide eyes. "_Really?_"

"Yep. I'll put on my most charming face, dance with you all night, and kiss whoever's ass is necessary. We'll have a good time and we'll talk to them. If they can't give us their blessing at that point, then fuck them. Either way, we'll plan your beach wedding for as soon as you want to do it."

She threw herself at me, hugging me tight. "I love you for doing this. Maybe, just maybe it'll all work out."

I tried not to cringe at the wistfulness in her voice. It was possible I was getting her hopes up only to have them dashed again later.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

The next couple of days flew by and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Bella went with me to the set each day, watching and asking questions and enjoying herself. I think the crew was half in love with her already.

After telling Jane our news—and surviving her excited screams—she helped me make sure it was fine with the director to spend the weekend in New York. I knew Simon would be cool with it, especially after hugging me and teasing me about my perma-grin.

Although I'd miss Bella's silly smile whenever she looked at her shoelace, I kept my promise to buy her a real ring. I took her to Cartier first, but we ended up picking one at Tiffany's. It was a simple platinum design, five carats, and gorgeous... just like her.

I was surprised when we weren't accosted on our shopping trip by fans or paps. We both wore hats, but I wasn't going out of my way to hide. Jane hadn't seen any pictures of our jewelry shopping, so our secret seemed to still be under wraps.

Not that we were keeping it a secret from everyone. I called the rest of my family and some of my friends, while Bella called Rose. It was fun to share the happy screams and shouts from each new call with her.

Even Senator Swan was appeased when Bella informed him she _would_ be attending the gala. Of course, she left out the engagement news and the fact I would be accompanying her.

Small details.

On Friday night, we took a red-eye flight out of Vancouver and arrived in New York early the next morning. Neither of us got any sleep on the flight, and we were both dragging when we picked up our luggage. I didn't spy any cameras around as we left JFK in a waiting car, nor when we got to Bella's place.

I was slightly disappointed in the lack of attention, which was opposite of how I usually felt. A part of me wanted to flaunt Bella's ring off to the world, making sure everyone knew she was mine. That she chose _me_.

The one time I wanted those sleazy paps around and they weren't.

Fuckers.

In fact, to push the envelope, as soon as we got to Bella's and she dove into bed, I made a quick call to Jane. I wasn't sure how much media would be present at tonight's function, but I wanted to add a little more. She laughed when I asked her to put the word out I'd be present tonight with Bella, but she was happy to oblige.

The Senator should be kissing _my_ ass for all the exposure I was going to get him.

I snuggled in next to Bella, falling asleep quickly. When I woke, it was after five and the bed next to me was cold. I sat up and shook my head to get my bearings. I'd been sleeping like a rock.

There was no note or any messages on my phone, so I threw on my jeans and T-shirt and went in search of Bella. The apartment was quiet as I wandered through, no sign of anyone.

Until I got to the kitchen and saw someone bent over and looking in the fridge.

And it wasn't Bella or Rose.

"Hello?"

He stood up straight and eyed me, jerking his chin. "'Sup?"

_Uhhh?_

"Who _are_ you and where is Bella?"

His lips twitched as he grabbed the milk and held up a box of cereal. "You want some?"

I _was_ kind of hungry.

He didn't wait for any answer, instead pulling two bowls out of a cabinet and two spoons out of drawer. It seemed like he knew his way around this kitchen. He was about my height, maybe a little taller, with a buzz cut, tattoos, and wearing only a pair of shorts.

Who the fuck was this guy?

He walked right past me to a small table set off the kitchen and I followed. His silence was pissing me off, especially when he just placed the settings in front of two chairs, sat down and dumped cereal into his bowl. My jaw clenched as he poured milk in, took a bite, and chuckled at something he was reading on the back of the box.

Captain Crunch was an asshole.

"_Where_ is Bella?"

His eyes flickered up, taking in my glare, and he snorted. "Have a seat, Hollywood. She and my sister went to get their hair done or something."

Shit.

I forgot about Rose's brother being back. I should have guessed from the dog tags and I supposed he looked a little like her. I also recalled Bella mentioning something about hair before she fell asleep this morning.

Still... he could have just answered me back in the kitchen instead of messing with me. He reminded me of Emmett.

As I was about to sit down, he held out his hand.

"Captain Jasper Whitlock."

I shook it and returned the introduction. "Edward Cullen."

No sooner had I started eating when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

"Yeah?" I answered, seeing it was my sister.

"Did your tux get delivered for tonight?"

"Huh?"

"I ordered an Armani tuxedo for you to wear tonight!" she yelled. "What? Did you think you could wear jeans?"

"I don't know!" I yelled back. "I just woke up, Bella's not here, and Captain Crunch is wearing on my nerves. Fuck!"

Both Alice and Jasper laughed at the same time.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Did anything get delivered here today?"

He scratched his chin and nodded. "Yeah, it's by the front door."

"Who are you talking to?" Alice asked.

"Rose's brother."

"Oh! Rose told me all about him. Is he happy to be back? How long has he been there? Is he going to come with Rose next time she's out here for a visit?"

My head was pounding. I needed some aspirin or something.

"How would I know?"

"You could ask him and quit being all moody. What crawled up your butt?"

I blew out a large breath, trying to keep calm and remember she was my sister and not some demon brought up from the depths of hell simply to torture me.

_Serenity now_.

"Should I just give him the phone so you two can catch up?"

"Boy, you _are_ in a bad mood. Always so cranky when you sleep during the day. Whatever, brother dear. I'll let you go."

I sighed. "Thanks for the tux. I appreciate it. And I'll ask him those questions and get back to you."

"Yay! Have fun tonight and good luck. Give Bella a kiss for me and call me tomorrow."

"Okay, okay. Bye, Alice."

"Bye."

I put my phone back in my pocket and relaxed in the chair, enjoying the silence.

"Sisters," he muttered about a minute later, shaking his head.

"Yeah." I smiled at our icebreaker and kept eating. "How'd you know that was my sister?"

"Rose has mentioned Alice a few times. You and Emmett, too."

I pushed my bowl away and sat back. "How long were you serving?"

"About ten years."

That meant he was about my age.

"And you're out now?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm done."

"Glad to be back home?"

He pushed his own bowl away and shrugged. "Still wrapping my head around it. I'm not sure I want to stay in this city."

I nodded but didn't say anything. Bella had told me about how his parents died, so I imagined being back here brought up some bad memories.

We were quiet for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"So you and Bella, huh?"

My head whipped in his direction, hoping he wasn't interested in her, too. How many fuckers was I going to have to fight off?

He laughed and slapped his knee. "Don't worry, Hollywood. I think of her as a little sister."

"You could wear a shirt around here," I mumbled.

I knew how girls creamed themselves over military guys. I played one in a movie once.

He just laughed harder. "Seriously, though," he said, calming down. "I'm glad to see Bella's not with that uptight piece of shit anymore. I couldn't stand that guy."

"He better stay the fuck away." I clenched my fists.

"Well count me in if you ever want to give him a good beatdown. Although he's too much of a pussy to put up any fight." His face fell a little. "I remember a few years ago, I came here on a leave. That little shit made some remark to Bella and I about lost it. I got in his face and he almost pissed his pants. I didn't even touch him. Punk."

"I don't understand how her parents could still want them together."

"Yeah, they're pieces of work. Marcus is a cool cat, but I don't envy you taking them on as in-laws." He shuddered a little.

"So Rose told you about the engagement?"

He smirked at me. "Yep. Congrats. If I were you, I'd beg Bella to live on the West Coast. Less exposure to her parents."

"That's the plan."

Both of our heads turned at the sound of the front door opening. Rose and Bella burst into the room a minute later, both with their hair up in some fancy design and their faces made up.

"You met!"

I nodded to Rose and stood to give Bella a big smooch.

"Wow," she said when I pulled away. "What was that for?"

"I missed you."

I kissed her smile again before Rose interrupted.

"Don't ruin her hair and makeup. We don't have much time to get ready."

Bella pushed me a little. "You taste like Crunch Berries."

Jasper and I both laughed. I helped him clean up our mess and followed Bella back to her room after grabbing my delivered tux.

It was time to get showered and dressed for the big night.

* * *

**AN: Do you agree with the advice from Carlisle? How do you like Jasper? Are you ready for Bella and Edward to give the Swans the big news?**

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**I had a thread on FB a few days ago asking people for their all-time favorite stories. Here are some of my favorite completed fics…**

**Pocket Change by aWhiteBlankPage**  
**Outbound by aftrnoondlight**  
**Edward Cullen, Dick for Hire by FictionFreak95**  
**There is a Light by belladonnacullen**  
**First & Ten by Nolebucgrl**  
**Dear Maggie by Jenny0719**  
**The Breakers by les16**  
**Starry Eyed Inside by Rochelle Allison**  
**Tunes with Tony Masen by Just4ALE**

**These are just some of my favorites ;) I have a lot.**


	16. Chapter 16 The Confrontation

**Prayers go out to Boston and West, Texas. It has been an emotional week from these tragedies, but it helps to focus on the heroes amidst the darkness.**

**"The pain you feel today is the strength you feel tomorrow. For every challenge encountered there is opportunity for growth." - _Unknown_**

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I seriously have so much love for these ladies.**

* * *

**The Confrontation**

I smirked at myself in the mirror, straightening my bow tie. It was hard to deny I looked fucking stellar in a tux.

My attention was diverted when I saw Bella walking out of the bathroom.

"You can't wear that."

She stopped mid-stride, frowning and glancing down at her dress. "What's wrong with it?"

She was in some long, black, strapless number that clung to every one of her curves. There was even a slit running along the side, revealing one of her mile-long legs with each step.

I was in trouble if she expected me to behave myself around all those snooty assholes tonight with her wearing that. It was like waving a candy bar in the face of a fat kid and telling him he couldn't eat it.

_Fuck_.

I wanted one of those spiky stiletto things she had on her feet planted on each side of my head while she rode my face.

"Edward?"

Damn, those hips looked good. I wanted to grab hold, spin her around, bend her over the bed, and f—

"_Edward!_"

My eyes darted up to meet hers. "What?"

"What's wrong with my dress?"

I walked over slowly, circling around until I stood behind her. She started to turn, but I stilled her, holding her shoulders. My fingers skimmed over her soft, bare skin and I leaned in closer. She always smelled so fucking good. When my hands slid down her arms, her body shivered a little. It made me smile knowing my touch affected her as much as hers did to me.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her body tight against mine. My lips brushed along her ear as I rocked my hips against her.

"This dress... _you_. Do you feel what you do to me?"

"Yes," she whispered between shaky breaths.

My chest was tight as I nibbled on her earlobe. It was like my whole body was tensed for action, whether from the impending showdown with her father or from the way everything about her excited me. Probably both.

I needed some kind of release or there could be serious fireworks going down tonight.

"Tell me, Bella. Have you ever been fucked while wearing a ball gown?"

"No," she said, pushing her ass against me. "Not yet."

_Fuck_.

She wanted this as much as I did.

I was about to throw her on the bed when Rose's voice shouted from outside the door.

"Let's go, you guys! Our car is downstairs."

_No_.

This couldn't be happening.

Jesus, Mary, and Henry.

Son of a mothersucking fuckstick.

I kept Bella tight in my grasp, panting like a dog.

"Edward." She patted my arm, a signal to let go.

I groaned, wanting to go back in time fifteen minutes. My arms loosened in defeat, and she turned around to face me.

"Such a sad face." She kissed me, trying to hold back her giggles.

She was laughing at my misery. What had I done to deserve this fuckery?

One of her hands slipped around my neck, pulling my face to hers. Her other hand slid down to stroke my cock through my pants. I closed my eyes and moaned.

_Oh, yeah._

That felt nice.

"I promise when we get back, I'll take good care of you." She kissed me and squeezed. "_And_ this guy. I'll even keep the dress on if you want."

It took a few minutes for her to convince me I wasn't going to die and to pull me out of the bedroom. We eventually made it downstairs and I scooted in next to her in the backseat of our waiting limo, trying to forget how blue my balls were.

I glared at Rose, who was perched next to her brother on the seat opposite us. "You could teach a course in cockblocking."

Jasper laughed and nodded, but Rose just shrugged.

"Don't be so pissy. I'm here for you guys tonight."

Bella smiled and squeezed my hand.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

Rose pointed to Jasper and then back to herself. "We're your backup. You'll probably need it. Plus, I've enlisted the help of a secret weapon."

"What do you mean by _secret weapon_?" Bella asked.

"You'll see."

Rose obviously thought my plan to ask for the Senator's blessing was going to fail miserably. Even though I had my own secret strategy plotted in my head, this was discouraging.

It wasn't like I expected to turn him around completely tonight. I was only aiming for him to pretend to give Bella the approval she was seeking. Then over time, I could work on him until he truly accepted my being in her life.

I personally didn't give a fuck if he liked me or not. All of this was for Bella. I didn't want her to resent me one day because her parents didn't think I was the right man for their daughter.

We pulled in front of the New York Public Library, and I grinned seeing all the cameras flashing along the steps outside. Jane had come through with flying colors.

"What is this thing tonight anyway?" I asked. Bella had taken care of our tickets herself, so I had no idea.

"A benefit raising money for childhood literacy," Bella said. "Father wants to boost his education support profile."

I rolled my eyes.

Politicians were such snakes. I'd bet my Aston Martin the Senator didn't give one shit about childhood literacy.

"Wow, there's a lot of media here," Bella said.

"Yeah, it'd make it hard for anyone to cause a scene without getting noticed," Jasper answered.

I glanced over at him and he was smirking at me. Smart guy. He seemed to know I was planning to use the paps to my advantage tonight.

I gripped Bella's hand, my fingers touching her ring, and leaned in close to her. "Just follow my lead, Mrs. Cullen."

She gave me one of those heart-stopping Bella grins before Demetri jumped out of the front and opened our door. Bella and I followed Rose and Jasper out, the flashes of cameras almost blinding.

I had a sudden epiphany that my life was about to change forever. Things had been so rushed, I hadn't really stopped to take a breath and think about what this all meant. My life wasn't just mine anymore.

Bella would always be a part of it.

It made me happier than I'd ever felt before, yet at the same time scared shitless. Sure, I'd been worried about what the gossip rags would say about her when she was only my "girlfriend", but this was more. She was going to be my wife.

Every single thing said about me would be tied to her, and vice versa.

And then the fans. I knew firsthand how insane some people could be. How they became so invested in what they believed about me, that their behavior went above and beyond infatuation. I'd had stalkers, people going through my trash and contacting my friends and family to get to me. Women literally throwing themselves at me.

What if some obsessed fan tried to hurt Bella?

My heart pounded and I gulped, holding her tightly to my side as we started up the stairs. The possible threat had never really sunk in completely before this moment.

"Edward! Edward!"

The shouts from the photographers were breaking through my heavy thoughts, and I started to second guess my intentions for the night.

Should I really do this to her? Was it what's best for her? _Was I?_

Rose and Jasper turned around and stopped, facing us as we stood on a landing about halfway up the stairs.

"Give them what they want," Rose said, staring at me.

My mouth opened, but I wasn't sure what to say.

Bella tugged on my arm and I looked down at her worried face. "What's wrong?"

It took less than a second staring into her eyes for me to know it didn't matter if I was the best guy for her or not. I was a selfish bastard and it wasn't possible for me to let her go.

"Don't be a pussy," Jasper said lowly in my ear.

I would have punched him, but he was right. Instead, I did something I'd never done in public before.

I placed my hands on Bella's cheeks, leaned down, and kissed the shit out of her. The shouts and catcalls coming from the crowd behind the flashing cameras were overwhelming, but all I heard was Bella's moan into my mouth.

_Damn_.

Blue balls 2, Edward 0.

I pulled back to see her closed eyes, flushed cheeks, and wide smile. She was so beautiful.

How did I get so lucky?

When she opened her eyes and met my stare, everything around us seemed to disappear for a moment. It was just me and her.

I brushed her cheek with my thumb. "I love you."

She sucked in a deep breath. "I love you so much it hurts sometimes."

Rose's chuckle burst our bubble. "Come on, you two. We're holding up the line."

My head turned and I noticed the people standing behind us and walking up the steps around us. We were making even more of a spectacle than I'd hoped for.

_Good_.

I took Bella's arm again. "Ready?"

She nodded. "Let's do this."

"That kiss was hot," Rose said once we'd reached the top. "That will be on the cover of every magazine tomorrow."

It _was_ hot. I was still feeling the aftereffects of it myself, and Bella seemed a bit dazed.

Now that one of my goals for the evening was complete, it was time to move on to round two.

The four of us stuck close together, moving our way through the crowd and off to the side, but I felt all the eyes in the place on me. That wasn't unusual, but it made me wary due to the girl at my side.

This wasn't really my scene, never having attended one of these fancy benefits before. I'd been to charity fundraisers in L.A. more than a few times, but they were much more laid back and filled with people familiar to me.

I was an outsider here.

We took refuge along a wall, close to the silent auction area. It wasn't quite as crowded, but we had a good vantage point to watch all the schmoozing, dancing, and drinking. A server passed, carrying flutes of champagne on a tray, and I grabbed four for all of us. Bella downed hers in about two seconds and I chuckled, handing her my still-full glass.

"Nervous?" I asked, leaning close to her.

She nodded. "A little. My parents are over there."

I followed the direction of her eyes, and sure enough, there they were on the other side of the room. The Senator was the center of attention, surrounded by a group of men and women who were hanging on to his every word. Bella's mom was attached to his side, smug as ever.

If I weren't here, I knew Bella would be planted on his other side. A prop expected to do nothing more than smile and nod at the appropriate times.

She believed they didn't love her and never did. It was easy to agree with that notion from what I'd witnessed up to this point. However, I really wanted to believe it was possible they _did_ love her. Maybe they just didn't know how to show it. Maybe their ambitions and personal goals were simply blinding them to how they made their daughter feel. Bella's propensity to be pleasing and suffer silently only made it easier for them to ignore their behavior. I wanted to hope there was some good buried deep down inside them, and that it would surface once they were made aware of how much they'd hurt their own daughter over the years.

Glass half full and all that jazz.

Bella had turned me into an optimistic fucker.

I lifted her ring hand up to my mouth, leaving kisses along her knuckles until she smiled. Her trembling made it clear she was more than a _little_ nervous.

"It's going to be okay," I said.

She nodded, pulling my arm until I leaned in closer. "Those are James' parents next to them. On the right."

I watched her eyes dart back and forth between me and them, and my stomach twisted. "Are you having second thoughts?"

It might kill me if she said yes, but I had to know.

She suddenly pushed her wineglass into Jasper's hand, grabbed the waistline of my pants, and yanked me closer. "Don't _ever_ ask me that again," she hissed, her narrowed, fiery eyes boring into mine.

_Damn_.

This was a new side to Bella, and I'd never been more turned on in my life. She was staking her claim and leaving no doubt.

I leaned in, brushing my cheek against hers to whisper in her ear. "Do you have _any_ idea how much I want you right now?"

Her answering whimper forced me to clench my hands into fists to avoid grabbing her. Pictures of us fucking against the wall weren't exactly the exposure I was aiming for tonight.

"This looks like the fun group."

A new voice had joined us, and I realized I was hulking over Bella like a caveman. She wasn't making it any easier with her heaving chest and flushed cheeks. I briefly imagined tangling my hand in her hair and dragging her around the corner.

All I needed was a club and a loincloth.

"It isn't everyday I get to see my granddaughter and her fella about to attack each other."

_Fuck_.

It was Bella's grandfather.

He, Rose, and Jasper all laughed as I attempted to nonchalantly back away from Bella.

"They aren't very subtle," Rose chimed in.

I turned around and slipped behind Bella until we were both facing the rest of them... and so she could hide the tent in my pants.

"Hello, sir," I said with a nod to Marcus.

He nodded back with a smile. "I see my Isabella is keeping you around for good." His face fell a little, but he kept smiling. "You two remind me of when I was young." His hand rubbed over his chest. "Just like me and my Mary."

Bella moved forward at that, taking his hand. "Are you okay?"

I watched as he squeezed her hand. "I'm fine, Babydoll. I'm old and sentimental. I still miss your grandmother every single day." He sighed, his fingers brushing over her cheek. "I'll be better when I know you're happy."

"I _am_ happy." She reached back for my hand, pulling me close to her again. "We're getting married."

He nodded again, his smile brightening. "I know. That's why I'm here tonight."

Both Bella and I turned our heads toward Rose.

"Secret weapon," she explained.

Even though Rose's intentions were good, I hoped Bella wasn't too disappointed about not being the one to tell her grandfather.

"Don't be upset with Rose and Jasper," he said, our focus returning to him. "We had lunch the other day and it just came out." His eyes flickered from Bella's face to mine and back to hers. "I'm happy for both of you, although I don't expect your parents will feel the same." He shook his head. "Your father puzzles me. Always has. And he never listens. But you stay strong and don't back down." He bent over a little, getting in Bella's face. "_No_ backing down. Remember what I said when I gave you your graduation present. This is _your_ life and _you_ get to make your own choices. Only a blind fool couldn't see you two were meant for each other."

She let go of my hand and wrapped her arms around him. I stood back, watching the two of them hug and whisper back and forth for a minute or two. It made me happy at least one member of her family had her back.

Perhaps Rose was a genius for asking him to be here tonight. I'd have to get her a thankyou present or something.

Before I knew it, he'd let Bella go and pulled me to him in a hug.

"Be strong for her," he whispered in my ear. "She's going to need you."

His words shook me. It seemed like he was talking about something more than our engagement and impending marriage.

"What? I—"

He cut me off, patting my back. "Just take care of Isabella. Rosalie, too. Make sure they're happy."

Rose, too? What did he mean?

I was confused as hell when he pulled away and rubbed his face. Whatever was going on was upsetting him. I glanced over and took in Jasper's stoic expression, wondering if he knew what Marcus meant. Rose and Bella were standing next to each other, but they didn't appear to think anything was out of the ordinary.

The uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach grew stronger.

A few moments later, Marcus straightened his shoulders and put a smile back on his face. He took Bella's hand. "Are you ready to head over to the snake pit?"

She chuckled and nodded.

"Okay," he said, placing her hand in mine. "You two go ahead. We'll all be right behind you."

I squeezed her hand and forced all thoughts of Marcus' odd requests to the back of my mind. It was time to put on a show.

The timing of our arrival couldn't have been more perfect since there was a photographer loitering very close. I let go of Bella's hand and placed my arm around her waist as we approached her parents.

The people standing around the Senator moved aside when they saw who was walking through, giving Bella and I space to move forward. It didn't surprise me to see her parents' smiles become strained when they noticed I was beside their daughter.

The couple she'd identified as the Hearsts didn't even pretend to be polite as they sneered in our direction. It was then I saw James standing next to them, glaring at me, and I grinned at him.

_Eat it, Bitch._

"Senator," I greeted, holding my hand out to him.

He shook it as the cameras flashed. "Edward."

I reached for his wife's hand next. "Mrs. Swan, I've been looking forward to meeting you for so long."

Someone snorted behind me. Probably Rose.

Bella's mother barely held my hand before pulling away, never uttering a word. Although she kept a smile on her face, I could tell by the look in her eyes that she wanted to crush me like a bug.

Oh, well.

Bella then greeted her parents, kissing her mother's cheek and nodding to her father.

"Isabella, I didn't know you would be accompanied this evening. I wouldn't have provided an escort if you'd told us," her mother said, just loud enough for me to hear.

_Escort?_

Escort, my ass. Fuck her _and_ James.

"Well, we... I... or we have some news," Bella answered, her voice shaking a little.

I wanted to wrap her up in a hug—reassure her—but it wasn't the time. _Yet_.

Both of her parents' faces went pale, glancing from Bella to me.

"This isn't the appropriate place to have this conversation," the Senator said.

"It is." I jumped in, moving closer to them and away from the eavesdropping ears all around us. "This is the perfect place." I took Bella's hand in mine, not wanting to beat around the bush. "I love your daughter more than I can say. I've asked Bella to marry me, and she agreed. We're engaged and we hope to have your blessing."

He scrunched his brow, his lips forming a thin line. "Let's go out on the veranda." He didn't wait for a response, turning on his heel and stalking toward the doors leading outside with his wife behind him.

Everyone around us was staring at me, probably waiting to see what I'd do. I didn't know how much they'd heard of the conversation, but it was obvious the Senator wasn't happy by the way he rushed out. When Bella squeezed my hand, I glanced down at her worried face.

"Hey, that wasn't so bad," I joked, waiting for her smile. "I think your mother in particular approves of me."

Her lips curved up a little and I planted a kiss on them.

"I love that you know when I need a little boost," she said, opening her eyes.

"You do the same for me."

She didn't believe me, but that was okay. She would one day.

We had all started toward the door, when I glimpsed the camera guy again. There weren't as many photographers inside as there were on the way in, and I wanted to take advantage. I stopped and turned my head toward Jasper, who walked over.

"Do me a favor?" I asked, waiting until he nodded. "Tell that guy with the camera to wait about twenty minutes and then come outside. Tell him he'll get one hell of a story."

He nodded again, hanging back as the rest of us departed. The August night air was hot and humid when we walked out, keeping most of the elite crowd inside. The veranda looked like it was normally set up as a cafe-style area, where patrons could have a lunch or coffee. There were only a sparse few out here aside from Bella's parents, who appeared to be talking furiously with each other near the balcony.

My anger spiked when I saw James standing next to them. Did that fucker have a death wish?

"Are we breaking up a party?" I asked as we neared.

Yeah, I was being an ass, but all three of them deserved it.

Mrs. Swan ignored me, her rage targeted on Bella. "How could you embarrass your father like that in front of all these people? Did you let this trash get you pregnant? Is that what this nonsense is all about?"

Bella's breath caught and her eyes fell. I squeezed her hand, trying to encourage her to finally let go and give her mother the backlash she so truly deserved.

I knew I'd never wanted to hit a woman in my life as much as I did in this moment.

Before Bella could respond, it was her father who spoke up next.

"Father, why are you out here?" he asked Marcus, who stood behind us with Rose. "Go back inside. This doesn't concern you."

I laughed. "Doesn't concern _him_? What is _this_ fucker doing out here?" I asked, waving my arm in James' direction.

Mrs. Swan's mouth dropped open, but I wasn't sure if it was because I called James out for being present or for calling him a fucker. "You! You're ruining everything," she spat, addressing me for the first time ever.

"What? What exactly have I ruined? We're happy together."

"Everything was going to be perfect. It was all supposed to work out tonight," she rambled on, ignoring my question.

Was she crazy? Clinically insane?

I should have asked Eleazar to come with me on this trip to Looneyville so he could translate.

"There's still time." Her eyes went wide, almost pleading as she glanced at Bella.

My blood boiled when I noticed James had furtively made his way to the other side of Bella, whispering something in her ear as she shook her head. I should have been paying closer attention to that asshole instead of waiting for Mrs. Swan's head to start spinning around.

I let go of Bella's hand and lunged at James, grabbing the lapels of his jacket and shaking him. "What the fuck are you trying to do? _Huh?_ Don't talk to her. Don't look at her. Don't ever come near her again."

His eyes fired back at me, while he grabbed me too, trying to keep his footing. "This was supposed to be _my_ night."

"_Your_ night? What the fuck does that mean?"

Bella's hand gripped my arm. "He was going to propose to me tonight."

It all fell into place. They wanted Bella to arrive alone. For James to propose in front of this crowd and force Bella into saying yes to save face. They were counting on her vulnerabilities so they could trap her into a situation she would have a hard time extracting herself from.

Sure, my plan was to use the crowd and media to keep her parents in line, but this was different. This was almost cruel, especially since she'd told them flat out she loved me and not him.

I shoved James hard, and he crashed into one of the tables. When I started to go after him again, Jasper stepped between us, putting a hand on my chest.

"Not now," he said. "I'll get him out of here."

I was seeing red as I pushed Jasper's arm away from me. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay the fuck away!" I yelled after James as Jasper practically dragged him away. I spun back around, taking a few deep breaths as I wrapped my arms around Bella and stared in disbelief at her parents. "I really don't understand this. I don't at all. Why are you so set on hurting your daughter? Why do you keep breaking her heart?"

"Breaking her heart?" Mrs. Swan asked. "We're setting her up for life. She'd be joining one of the most esteemed families in the country. She would have dignity, respect, wealth. She'd have _everything_ with him. With you, she'll only be dragged down. All of us will."

Talking to her was like talking to a brick wall. It was useless, exhausting. No wonder Bella had so many issues in regards to her mother.

"I have everything with Edward," Bella said softly. My heart hurt seeing the tears in her eyes, but she finally lifted her head and faced both of her parents. "I'm sorry you can't see that. I'm sorry we sprung this on you and you can't accept it. But we're getting married. I came here wanting your approval, but I don't care anymore."

"Isabella." Her father stepped forward, his head down. I wondered if he felt any remorse for the charade he helped set up tonight or for the tears in Bella's eyes. "I only want the best for you."

"If that were true, you'd open your eyes and realize Edward is the best for me."

"Are you pregnant?" her mother asked again, interrupting the two of them.

"No!" Bella shouted. "I'm not!"

"Thank goodness." Mrs. Swan let out a huge sigh of relief, and I wanted to stomp on her head. She pointed her finger in Bella's face. "Then nothing is set in stone right now. I think you'll start to see reason if your father and I cut you off."

"_Renee_," her father pleaded.

"What? Let's see how independent and flighty she is without our financial backing."

I shook my head as silence fell all around us. She was stupid on top of being crazy and power-hungry.

Bella started giggling, which then turned into full out laughter. I couldn't help my own chuckles coming out as she continued. Even Rose, Marcus, and a returning Jasper joined in.

"You don't get it. You never have. I would rather be poor and homeless than marry James." She lifted her ring finger, watching the diamond sparkle in the dim lighting. "Besides, I have my own money."

"And mine," I added.

She turned her face toward me, sending me a playful smile. "I may have even more than you." She reached back and palmed my cock.

_Fuck_.

Damn tease.

I growled in her ear. "We'll have to compare portfolios."

We both laughed while Bella's mother seethed in front of our display.

"What money?" she screeched.

"From me," Marcus said, stepping up beside us.

"What did you do?" the Senator asked. "You gave me power of attorney over your estate and I don't know about this."

"I told you I came back to settle things. That's what I'm doing. We'll talk about it later."

"Talk about it now."

Marcus' eyes hardened as he stared at Bella's mother. "Watch yourself. I'm tired of seeing you trample all over Isabella. That ends now. What I do with _my_ money is none of your business."

The music from inside grew loud for a moment as the door from the veranda opened and the photographer made his way outside. He walked over hesitantly, probably noticing the heavy tension in the air.

"Senator Swan, Mr. Cullen," he said with respective nods. "May I take some pictures?"

"Yes," I said before anyone else could answer. "You've come at the perfect time. We were just celebrating our news."

I positioned Bella and myself in between her parents, who plastered smiles on their faces for the camera flashes.

"Oh really?" he asked. "What's the good news?"

"Miss Isabella Swan and I are engaged to be married."

He kept clicking pictures as I held out Bella's hand to show off her ring.

"Congratulations! Can I spread the happy news?"

"Please do."

The Senator shifted next to me, and I wished I could see his and his wife's faces. I imagined the pictures would be priceless.

"And you Senator, I should also say congratulations to you."

"Thank you," he said gruffly. "We're very happy for our daughter."

Rose and Jasper tittered in the background, and I finally relaxed. My job here was done for now. Once the photographer went back inside, Bella pulled me to her.

"I'm ready to go," she said.

"Okay. Go ahead inside with Rose and Jasper. I need just a minute and then we can get out of here."

Bella didn't say another word to her parents, walking away flanked by her friends. I watched until they went inside, knowing Jasper would never allow James to get near her even if he tried.

I turned back around, Marcus and Bella's parents standing there quietly. It was clear father and son were going to have some kind of battle of their own, but it wasn't my concern. I had only one thing left to say.

My eyes met the Senator's. "I don't know why, but despite how Bella's been treated by you all her life, she still loves you. If you care for her at all, you'll accept that I love her and she loves me. We're going back to Vancouver. She and I will plan our wedding and if she still wants you there, I hope you will be. She told me she wanted you to walk her down the aisle, but that was before this mess tonight. I don't know if she still wants that or not, but it will be up to her." I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "I do know one thing. If you _ever_ want her help again, then you will start acting like a real father and support your daughter."

If he didn't step up at this point, I might just go gung-ho on his opponents' bandwagons. I'd campaign against him until he begged me to stop.

With a final handshake and thank you to Marcus, I went off in search of Bella.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

Two days later, I was lying in bed next to Bella when her phone rang. It was the middle of the night, and I listened as she groggily answered the call.

"_What?_" she asked, sitting up suddenly and letting out a sob.

I waited as she talked and cried and agreed to something, pulling her into my arms. I brushed the hair from her face as she ended the call and buried her face in my neck.

"I... have... to... go," she said, her voice faltering between sobs. "Grandfather died."

* * *

**AN: I'm sending hugs to you all. I'm eager to hear your thoughts on this chapter.**

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Caught Looking by Marvar**

**Slapshot by prettykittyff**

**Yosemite Decimal by MagTwi78 (now complete)**


	17. Chapter 17 The Goodbye

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I seriously have so much love for these ladies.**

* * *

**The Goodbye**

I wasn't sure how long I cried, but Edward never hushed me. He never shied away from my tears. He only held me close, giving me as much time as I needed to digest the fact my grandfather had passed away.

Alec's news had been such a shock, and I wasn't sure quite how to deal with it. It was the first time someone so close to me had died.

_He went peacefully in his sleep._

Alec gave me those words as some sort of comfort, but I felt none. It seemed so sudden. So unexpected. Sure grandfather was eighty-three, but I thought he was healthy for his age.

I'd just seen him a few days ago. He helped me and stood by my side during one of the most difficult nights of my life. He didn't look ill. He looked normal. Like he always did.

Had I not been paying close enough attention? Had there been signs I ignored or simply didn't notice?

I'd barely even said goodbye to him because I was so eager to run away that night. It was the last time I would see him and I was only thinking of myself.

Even more, the guilt from ignoring my father's calls over the last couple of days crushed me. When Alec's name popped up on my phone, I knew deep down something was wrong and had to answer. But had my father been trying to tell me to come back? That my grandfather would soon be gone? I was so wrapped up in wanting to send him a message that he could no longer control me, I didn't even think he might be trying to reach me for something else.

I was so angry and confused and heartbroken. Following the gala and the confrontation with my parents, I had basically disowned them in my head. I didn't want anything to do with them after what they tried to pull.

Now, with Grandfather gone, it really was like I didn't have any family left.

My mind went back over every detail from the other night, searching for any signs, any hints that something was wrong. Had he been sick? Had being there for me done something to precipitate his death?

I was so foolish. Immature, selfish, and stupid.

"Bella? Are you okay?"

Edward nuzzled my nose and rubbed my back. I had stopped crying, but I wasn't sure what to say.

_Was I okay?_

I didn't know. All I knew was that I had to leave. I had to go back home, to a funeral, and to face my parents again.

I had to do it alone.

The only time I felt right—felt complete—was with Edward's arms around me. But I couldn't ask him to leave with me and go back across the country to mourn a man he hardly knew. He had obligations here. Things that were important to his career. He'd already taken time off to go tell my parents about our engagement. And I knew he did that just for me.

How could I ask him to leave again?

We'd only just gotten back.

No, I had to face this by myself. It was time for me to stop thinking only of my needs and do what was right.

"I'm fine," I answered, pushing myself up and out of his embrace. I stood from the bed, grabbed my phone, and walked toward my suitcase. I pulled out a pair of jeans, a shirt, and some underwear. "I'm going to shower and make arrangements to fly back."

He jumped out of the bed and ran over, stopping me before I went in the bathroom. "Hey." He stood in front of me, tilting my chin up with his fingers when I didn't look up. "I can get us on a flight. Why don't you just take a bath and relax? I'll take care of it."

I felt sick, but forced the words out. "You don't need to go. This is something I have to do."

"Not alone."

I sighed and brushed past him, turning the light on in the bathroom and setting my things on the counter. "I don't even know how long I'm going to need to be there. I can't keep dragging you away. You have responsibilities here."

"Bella, stop." He reached around me and turned off the water I'd just turned on. He sat on the edge of the tub and pulled me down on his lap. "I'm going with you."

I was getting angry on top of my frustration. It was difficult to do the right thing when he wouldn't even give me the opportunity.

"Quit acting like my father." I covered my mouth as soon as those blurted words spilled out, regretting them immediately. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

He was quiet for a minute as I stared at my lap, wishing I could take back those words. He wasn't like my father. More like the opposite.

At least Edward made an effort.

"Are you saying you want to go alone because you don't want me there, or because you think it would be an inconvenience for me?" he asked, rubbing my back with one hand and my thigh with the other.

"The second one," I mumbled, still not looking up.

His hand left my thigh and took hold of my hand, his thumb brushing over my engagement ring. "Okay, well this is how I see it. I'm not the smartest guy, and definitely not the most educated, but I _know_ what love is."

I snorted through my tears. _Sexy_.

"Yeah, I just went all Forrest Gump on you." He kissed the side of my mouth. "Honestly, though. This isn't some prop I put on your finger. I meant it when I asked you to marry me. I love you. When _you're_ hurting, _I'm _hurting."

I sobbed harder.

"Being by your side when you go through the hard times isn't an inconvenience. I hope you'd be there at my side if and when I have to go through something similar."

"I would," I choked out.

"Okay, then. Let me take care of you right now. Let me hold your hand and wipe your tears and just be there. I have bereavement leave in my contract. Even if I didn't, I'd still be there with you."

I twisted around to stare at him. "Bereavement leave?"

"Yes. There are contingencies written in all my contracts for emergencies. Don't worry about _me_. This film is the last thing you should be worrying about. Everything will be fine here. I only want to be there for _you_."

I buried my face in his neck, letting his words soothe my hurt. It still felt like I was being selfish by pulling him away.

"I can't ask you to go."

He squeezed me. "You're not _asking_. I'm _telling_ you I'm going. If you left without me, I'd just be on the next plane behind you."

His voice rang with sincerity and I knew he would do exactly as he claimed. He was right about being more emotionally mature than I was, even with his tendency to fly off the handle. I felt humbled and lucky at the same time.

It still confounded me why this amazing man had feelings for me and wanted to be with me.

"Why do you love me?" I whispered. "I'm such a mess."

He planted a loud kiss in my hair. "Don't call my fiancée a mess. She happens to be the most important thing in my life."

I sobbed and laughed, soaking up his attention and concern. Even if it meant I was selfish, I wasn't going to let go.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

We arrived in New York later that day, deciding it was best to stay at my place. I'd called my father, and he was as terse and distant as ever. He said I was welcome to stay at the Connecticut house, close to where the services would be held, but balked when I explained Edward was with me.

It was better for everyone if Edward and I stayed in New York until the day of the funeral. Especially for me.

Yet, the hardest part of going home was the scene I found when we arrived. It was quiet when we set our bags down and walked through the apartment. I heard the TV on in the den and found Rose and Jasper there in the dark, neither paying attention to the movie playing.

I knew they would be taking this news as hard as me, maybe even worse.

Jasper stood up when he saw me, walking over and crushing me in a hug. "I'm sorry."

I tried not to cry again, but it was impossible after hearing the tears in his voice.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He pulled back and nodded, rubbing his face. "I'm fine, but Rose needs you. I haven't seen her like this since... "

His voice broke off, but I knew what he was going to say. He hadn't seen her like this since they lost their parents. For as long as I'd known Rose, she was always the picture of poise and strength. It wasn't often when she shed any tears.

I glanced at Edward. "Why don't you and Jasper go have a beer or something?"

He nodded, taking my hint. The two of them walked off toward the kitchen, and I drew in a deep breath before heading over to the couch where Rose was curled up.

I knelt down in front of her, brushing some hair from her tear-streaked face. "Rose?"

Her eyes opened, but it seemed to take her a few moments before she focused on my face. She let out a sob and I wrapped my arms around her.

"He's gone," she cried, gripping me back.

"I know," I whispered.

I held her as she purged her grief, rocking and whispering and comforting as much as I could, while she wailed and shuddered with sobs. Rose had been my rock for a long time, and I pushed my own feelings aside so I could be hers now.

Eventually her crying died down, probably from sheer exhaustion, and I handed her a fresh bunch of tissues.

"I'm going to go fix you some soup," I said, rubbing her shoulder.

It wasn't the best solution, but I didn't know what else to do to ease her pain. I didn't have the right words, and at this point I was emotionally drained myself.

She nodded, her eyes glassy.

I stood and walked slowly out of the room, pausing for a moment in the doorway when a dizzy spell hit me. I closed my eyes and leaned against the wall, taking a few breaths to steady myself.

Maybe I needed some soup, too.

When I made it to the kitchen, Edward and Jasper were sitting at the breakfast table along with someone I wasn't expecting.

"Alec?"

He walked over, taking a place on the other side of the kitchen island.

"How are you, Isabella? I came to check on you."

Edward followed as well, moving to stand behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

"I'm okay," I answered, wary of Alec's presence. I wondered what they'd all been talking about while I was with Rose.

Alec sighed and reached in his pocket. "I'm really sorry about your grandfather. He was a good man." He pulled out a couple envelopes. "Your father sent me to give these to you and make sure you were okay."

I took the envelopes, one with my name and one for Rose. My eyes darted over to the table and alongside all the empty beer bottles was another envelope. Jasper held a piece of paper in his hand, engrossed in whatever was written on it.

_My father sent letters to me, Jasper, and Rose?_

I stared at Alec again, my eyes narrowing. "These are from Father? What are they?"

He shook his head. "No, they're not from him. They're from your grandfather."

I let out a shaky breath, dropping the letters on the counter. "What? Why? How?"

Alec sighed again. "He was sick for a while. He knew it was coming. I'm sorry."

Edward's arms squeezed me, but I wasn't calmed. I was confused, angry, and felt a little betrayed.

Why had nobody told me?

"Before you get upset, you should read it." Alec patted my hand. "I'm going to take off, but call if you need anything. Your father did ask that you make an appearance at the house in New Haven after the funeral. He has something to discuss with you regarding the will."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, still staring at the letters. "Okay."

"I really am sorry for your loss, Isabella."

I glanced up at his concerned eyes and nodded. Alec was always the best of my father's henchmen.

"He's hurting, too," Alec added.

I didn't respond although I felt a pang in my chest. Alec was talking about my father and despite my being angry with him, it was hard to ignore the truth that he'd just lost his own father.

"Okay... well, I'm off." Alec walked out without any further ado.

I stroked Edward's arms and he loosened his grip so I could busy myself making some soup for everyone. The letters sat there untouched, but I kept glancing over at Jasper to gauge his reaction.

"Can I help?" Edward sat in a stool and I felt his eyes on me as I stirred and mixed the broth and vegetables.

I sent him a smile. "No. I've got it. Gives me something to do."

He didn't argue and I was thankful. I set up four bowls and plates around the island, before warming up some bread in the oven. When I was close to finishing, Jasper finally put his letter down and made his way over.

"You should read it," he said quietly. "You and Rose both should read them. It will help."

That sounded somewhat positive. I wasn't sure how much more I could take today.

"Can you go see if she'll join us in here or if she'd rather eat in there?" I asked him.

He nodded. "I'll bring her back. She needs to get up."

I didn't respond, not knowing what was best. Whatever she decided would be fine with me. I just wanted to eat and then go pass out in bed.

Edward helped ladle the soup while I set out the bread and fixed glasses of lemonade for everyone. Wine sounded better, but I already had a headache and didn't need to compound it.

"I love you," Edward said, his fingers brushing my thigh when I sat down next to him.

I reached down to take his hand. "I love you, too. Thank you for being here."

And I meant it. This all would have been so much worse if he wasn't with me.

Jasper came back in with Rose next to him, both of them taking the seats across from us. She didn't even look at the food, instead grabbing the envelope addressed to her. Her eyes met mine before she opened it.

"Are you going to read yours?" she asked, her voice raspy from crying.

My stomach twisted, but I nodded and reached for my letter. Her eagerness to read it must have meant Jasper had revealed something from his to her. He wouldn't have gotten her out here if the letter would have hurt her more.

I opened the envelope and reached for Edward's hand again as I read.

_My Dearest Isabella,_

_I know you're sad and hurting, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you it was coming. My ticker has been bad for a long time, and I knew the end was near. It was a hard decision for me not to tell you, yet when I came home this last time to settle affairs, you had such a light in your eyes. It was one I'd never seen in you before, and I couldn't bring myself to extinguish it in any way._

_Regardless, I know you are grieving now, but the truth is I'm in a much better place. I have no more hurt. No more pain. No more longing for someone out of my reach._

_I have only happiness. Only joy. _

_I have the love of my life back._

_Remember those things during this time and know in your heart that I'm where I want to be._

_I had a long and full life, and I leave no regrets. I loved, I worked, I played, I helped, I traveled the globe. All as I wanted to. _

_If I learned anything during my time, it was not to waste a single second. Go grab your Edward and never let go. He's a good man. A man I would have been proud to call family. Let him love you and be the support you've lacked for too long. Take care of our Rose, who is probably hurting as much as you. Help our Jasper find his place in the world and a woman who can knock him on his ass. _

_Be the kind and generous woman I know you are to everyone around you._

_And finally, forgive your father. He has wronged you, this I know. It angers me that he can't see beyond his ambition, but I also know deep down he is a good man. Maybe this—and you—will make him realize his mistakes and be the man I know he can be._

_So, dry your tears, Babydoll. You remember how much I loved to help people in need? Well, now Heaven is my playground. I have my Mary and a team of angels by my side and I'm going to be working harder than ever to help everyone I can. I'll be smiling down at you when you marry that boy, when you have your babies, and when you're old like me and surrounded by all those who love you._

_You are only at the beginning of your own wonderful journey, and I hope you enjoy every step._

_Don't waste a second,  
Grandpa Swan_

I didn't think I had anymore tears left, but they streamed down my face as I read it through three times. My heart felt so much lighter from my grandfather's answers, explanations, and reassurances. Edward handed me a napkin when I finally set the letter down, and I turned toward him. His forehead was creased with worry, concern flashing in his green eyes.

I'd never loved him more.

I wrapped my arm around his neck, pulling his face toward mine and kissed him with everything I had. I think I tried to swallow his tongue.

"_Fuck_," he said when I pulled away, his eyes glazed.

I laughed and wiped my tears away. _Fuck_ was right, and so was my grandfather.

No more wasting of any seconds.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

It was too bad those lighter feelings didn't carry over two days later. The four of us arrived at the church for the funeral service together, but I was soon separated from my group to fulfill my duties. I didn't fight with my mother's demands of where to stand and who to greet and who to console, simply because it didn't feel right causing a scene at this somber occasion.

Yet, I felt cut off from everyone I loved, and I wondered whether that was my mother's intention when the service started and I was seated in the front row between her and my father.

Did she know I was weaker without Edward or Rose or even Jasper by my side? Was that why she had choreographed the seating this way?

The ceremony trudged on, but I barely paid attention. I sat and stewed, ignoring the nausea I'd been feeling since we arrived. My eyes stayed focused on the casket, on my grandfather's body, and I couldn't help thinking he would have hated this.

He loved smiles. He loved making things better.

This was all wrong. It was cold. No emotion. No outpouring of love for the man who did so much good in this world.

This was all my mother. _Renee_. She was just Renee to me now.

She wasn't really my mother. I didn't have a mother.

I glanced at my father on my left. His face had been set in the same unseeing frown since I'd arrived. I had yet to hear him say a word.

Was he grieving inside? Was this a mask to hide how much he was hurting? Did he care that his father was gone?

Or did he not feel anything at all? Was he just passing the time until he could start campaigning again without people questioning the propriety?

Not only did I not know the answer, but I felt like I didn't even know _him_ anymore. Maybe I never did.

I sighed and tried to discreetly twist around to get a glimpse of Edward. Knowing my mother, he was probably placed somewhere in the back. All I saw was my father's closest advisors in the pew behind us. I turned back around quickly when Caius smiled at me.

_Creepy bastard_.

The service continued, but I remembered nothing of it. There were no poignant words that stood out or cherished memory regaled that I could hold on to. I was almost numb, just going through the motions, and wanting this to end.

It wasn't until the minister closed the casket that I felt something again. The silence of the church was eerie, and the click of the coffin being shut resounded in my head. That simple act was so final. So devastating.

I'd never see him again. He was going into the ground.

A sob wracked through my body against my will. I couldn't have controlled it if I tried. It was like a huge weight was pressing on my chest as the pallbearers walked past and took their positions.

Why couldn't I breathe?

I was pulled to stand by someone, herded to follow my parents in the procession behind the casket.

I tried to gulp down oxygen, but there was no air.

My parents walked ahead of me down the aisle, dispassionate and indifferent. And I had nobody.

I tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. I only had to move. To walk. To get outside. Maybe it would be better outside.

The sobs hurt my insides, but I couldn't stop.

Then the air came back.

Edward's arm wrapped around me, pulling me into his side, his hand holding both of mine in front of us as we walked together.

"I love you," he whispered in my ear. "It's going to be okay."

I believed him. With him next to me, I could breathe again. We weren't even halfway down the aisle and he'd come to my side to help.

My body instantly relaxed, and he supported me when I leaned into him. I took a large breath and then another.

"Remember his letter. Remember he's in a better place now."

Edward's whispered words gave me strength, and I nodded to Rose and Jasper when we passed them. My heart ached for my sister's pain, which was evident in her cries and huddled body as Jasper held her.

I almost lost my breath again when we neared the exit, but this time in surprise. Sitting in one of the last pews in the back was Edward's whole family.

Esme and Alice were both openly crying, Carlisle and Emmett with eyes full of sorrow and compassion.

They were here. Sharing my grief.

Not for any show. Not to put on a performance for onlookers.

But because part of their family was in pain.

I sobbed again, placing a hand over my heart and trying to send them a smile of pure appreciation. Whether it was only for Edward, for me, or for both us, their presence was still such an overwhelming gesture.

We followed my parents all the way out to the drive, where a car was waiting. Alec stood by, holding the door open for them, and stopped us before we got in, placing a hand on Edward's shoulder.

Edward glared at him. "The only way I'm not getting in with her is if you shoot me. And you better use a lot of fucking bullets."

Alec's eyes darted to me as I clung to Edward. He then gave us both a little smile and patted Edward's back.

"Go on," he said.

We got in and sat on the seat opposite my parents.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Renee spat when the door closed.

I hated her in this moment. I'd never hated anyone before in my life, but I hated _her_.

"Don't say another word." I choked on another sob, an inch away from strangling her. "Not to him. Not to me. Not one more word."

She must have understood the threat behind my words, because she heeded my warning, leaning back against her seat with a huff. I glanced briefly at Charlie, who was staring out the window, before leaning into Edward again. He held me tight, sighing into my hair.

It was a short ride from the church to the cemetery, and we were all quiet as we got out and walked toward the tented area.

"Right this way, Miss Swan," an usher said, trying to lead me to a chair set up front.

I shook my head, bristling at the sight of the three chairs. Two of them for my parents, and one meant for me.

Those chairs signified family, and I wanted no part of it. My family was the one being buried, the man beside me, and the truly mournful people just arriving.

"I'm fine here," I told him and he nodded before walking away.

We stood there, off to the side, as the rest of the crowd filed over. Edward kept his arm around my waist, his fingers squeezing me often.

"You're so strong," he said, kissing my temple.

I didn't feel strong. I felt broken and exhausted.

My eyes stayed focused on that damn hole in the ground, until I felt someone brush up along my other side. I turned my head to find Rose and Jasper.

She took my hand and rested her head on my shoulder, no words needing to be spoken between us. The four of us listened as a few more prayers were given, watched as the casket was lowered into the ground, and cried at the final "Amen".

I closed my eyes tight, whispering my own goodbye. When a stiff breeze rushed over my face, I smiled wondering if maybe he'd heard me.

Rose clutched my hand and I turned toward her.

"We're going back home," she said. "I don't want to go to your parents' house."

I nodded in understanding. I didn't either.

There was a sort of reception planned at the New Haven house, where people could stop by and pay their respects to my father. I wouldn't be going at all except Alec told me my father needed to discuss something about the will.

"Go ahead. Take the car and we'll get another one." I wrapped her up in a hug. "I'm not going to be there long anyway. We'll be back tonight."

I watched as they walked away, wishing we were going with them. When we headed toward my parents' car, Edward's family approached.

"Bella?" Esme walked right up to me, hugging me tight. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

I let myself relax into her embrace. She oozed sympathy and peace, likely well-practiced in the act of consoling. This was a mom hug and I didn't want to let go.

I wasn't sure how long I stayed there in her arms, but she made no move to break our contact first. She let me hold on as long as I needed.

And I must have needed a lot of mom love, because when I finally came up for air, most of the crowd had already left.

Including my parents... which also meant our ride to the house.

My cheeks flamed in embarrassment when I realized they had basically stranded me here. I glanced at Edward, his face stony until he noticed my staring.

He put his arm around my waist and grinned. "No worries, baby. We'll ride with my family. You can always sit on my lap."

Emmett chuckled while Carlisle and Alice gave me bolstering smiles.

"Yes. I'd _love_ to meet our future in-laws," Esme stated, her voice bright as she led the way to their rented SUV.

But I didn't miss the hard undertone.

This was going to be interesting.

* * *

**AN: Is Bella's grandfather right that Charlie is redeemable? What do you think he's going to discuss about the will?**

**Sorry to bring all the sad in this chapter, but lighter times are coming. Next up will be the Cullens meeting the Swans, and perhaps a certain sister of Edward's knocking Jasper on his ass. **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs (all humor version):**

**The Art of Getting Fluffed by ChocolateSparrow  
The Cellar by iambeagle  
The Practicum by TheFicChick  
Meet the Masens by FictionFreak95  
Fanfiction, Sex Gods, and Single Girls by bannerday  
Love in My Box by cosmoandmarvar  
Sideline Collision by Nolebucgrl  
The Single Game by AwesomeSauce76  
Fatherhood, Formula, and Other F Words by anhanninen  
Theories of Bellativity by kikki7**


	18. Chapter 18 The Truth

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I have so much love for these ladies. I tinker with my docs until right before posting, and any errors you see are mine.**

* * *

**The Truth**

After giving Carlisle directions, the drive towards my parents' house was quiet, fitting the somber mood. Edward, Alice, Emmett, and I were all scrunched together in the backseat, and Edward kept me even closer with his arm around me. I appreciated the warmth generated between us while my mind was stuck on what had just happened.

The angry, dark clouds gave way to torrents of rain and I watched the water rush down the window. It was nice the rain had stayed away until we were under cover, yet it felt almost like an omen of what was to come, as if the gods were warning me to go in the opposite direction of my parents instead of right into the lion's den.

I couldn't believe they had just left me there at the cemetery without a single word. Like I was trash. Like I was nothing.

It was hard to look any of the Cullens in the eyes—even Edward. I'd never been more embarrassed in my life, and I wanted to cringe at the thought of them all pitying me because of what they'd seen.

Then I realized how stupid I was being.

I'd just buried my grandfather and here I was feeling sorry for myself and worried about what others thought of me. My selfishness knew no bounds.

"Slug bug _red_!"

My head whipped around when Alice's screech broke the heavy silence. My mouth dropped open seeing her punch Emmett hard on his arm.

"Motherfu—" Emmett roared.

"Language!" Esme yelled from the front, cutting off his cursing before it started.

"Mother fu...nky cold medina was what I was going to say." Emmett grinned and licked his finger before sticking it in Alice's ear.

"Ugh!" Alice screamed, twisting around on the seat to kick at her brother. "A wet willy? You are a disgusting, vile piece of—"

"Don't make me have your father pull the car over," Esme interrupted again.

Giggles bubbled up my throat and I doubled over in laughter at the scene. I wasn't sure whether this was normal Cullen behavior or whether they were only trying to distract me, but it was the perfect tension breaker. Car games were another childhood activity I'd missed out on, and it was funnier witnessing adult children partake. After all the negative emotions from the last few days, being able to laugh freely and be silly was a relief.

When my laughter died down, Edward squeezed me.

"Glad these idiots amuse you."

I nodded, more grateful to them than I could say. "They do."

Edward leaned in to whisper in my ear. "I'll give you my own special version of a wet willy later on."

_Hmmm_.

That sounded promising.

"I spy with my little eye," Emmett sang, grinning at me and Edward. "Something that begins with the letter 'B'."

"Bella?" I guessed the obvious choice.

"Nope." He shook his head.

"Backseat?" Alice asked.

"No."

I was scrolling through B words in my head while Edward kept placing kisses under my ear and ignoring his siblings.

"What is it?" I finally asked after a few more rounds of misses from me and Alice.

Emmett laughed and pointed at Edward. "Boner."

"Emmett!" everyone in the car yelled at the same time.

I bit my lip, my face on fire, and briefly glanced down at Edward's package. There may have been a slight bulge, and I wondered how inappropriate it would be to try and sneak us into my old bedroom when we arrived.

"What?" Emmett complained. "He's the one humping Bella back here in front of our innocent eyes."

"Innocent, my ass," Esme said.

I laughed again, and Edward sat up straight to glare at his brother.

"I'm going to give you the beat down you deserve soon enough."

Emmett just laughed again and flipped him off.

Edward caught me shaking my head at the two of them and squeezed me again.

"What is it? I promise we'll all behave when we get there."

"No." I shook my head. "Nothing like that. Believe me, I needed this. I used to worry about how our families would get along, but I don't care anymore. You're all wonderful. Just be yourselves."

"Except you, Emmett," Carlisle chimed in. "No being yourself. You _will_ be on your best behavior."

Alice and Edward snickered.

We finally arrived, pulling into the winding driveway through the wide open security gates. The closer we got to the house, the sicker I felt. It was like all the happy energy the Cullens had infused in me moments before was being sapped away. I was very close to telling them to turn around and leave, but I also wanted to be strong.

To prove to them—both the Cullens and my parents... maybe even myself—that I had the guts to show my face after that humiliating scene. I planned to at least address my father and tell him I didn't deserve being treated like that and I wouldn't tolerate it.

I think it would make my grandfather proud.

When we stopped in front of the house, we were met with valets. They escorted us all under umbrellas from the car to the door, so we avoided being drenched by the pouring rain.

I took Edward's offered hand when we all made it inside and assessed the scene. Finely dressed women in my mother's circle were gathered around her in her parlor, a room I'd always detested. She gave me only a brief glance filled with disdain as I passed that dreaded room followed by the rest of the Cullens. Most of my father's advisors appeared to be present, talking quietly in groups of two or three in the less formal sitting room.

There was an elegant spread of small sandwiches and intricately designed vegetable trays set out in the dining room. The Waterford crystal glasses and Wedgwood china gleamed under the lights, which were appropriately dimmed to be suitable for the somber situation.

I sent a small wave to Helen as she and several other hired hands were making rounds, offering drinks and other refreshments.

My mother obviously planned this like a party, probably paying exorbitant amounts of money for catering and valet services.

Only the best at the Swan house.

I rolled my eyes and kept our group moving as I searched for my father.

The door to his study was open, and I drew in a shaky breath when I walked in. My father was there, but he wasn't alone. Caius sat in the chair next to him and they were joined by two people I wasn't expecting to see.

James and his father.

All four of them turned their heads our way.

"Sorry," Alice whispered after bumping into me from behind when I stopped walking all of a sudden.

Edward squeezed my hand, but I didn't respond. My mind was stuck on wondering why James and his father were here. I hadn't seen them at the funeral, but that didn't mean they hadn't been there. I was distraught and might not have even noticed them.

Still, why were they here, huddled close to my father as if they were best friends?

I wanted to turn right around and walk out.

Walk out of the house.

Out of their lives.

I didn't want to be a part of any of it anymore.

My father and Caius stood before I could make my escape.

"We'll give you some privacy," Caius said, motioning for James and his father to follow him out.

I glanced up at Edward, who was glaring at James. James sneered back at him, trailing his hand down my arm when he passed us. I shivered in disgust and leaned against Edward.

When I turned my gaze on my father, he had the same sad, tired expression he'd worn all day. Except now, there also seemed to be some regret mixed in.

It confused me even more.

Everyone was silent, the six of us facing my lone father on the other side of the room. I wasn't sure what I even wanted to say to him at this point, but thankfully Carlisle jumped in to end the awkward stand off.

"Senator Swan, it's nice to meet you." Carlisle walked to him, holding out his hand. "I'm Carlisle Cullen, Edward's father, and this is my family. We all want to extend our condolences for your loss. I wish we could have met under different circumstances."

My father politely returned his handshake. "Yes, it's been a difficult day. I appreciate your consideration."

After the rest of the Cullens exchanged greetings with him, he turned his gaze on me.

"We need to talk."

Those four little words scared me. Although I had come here for the sole reason of talking to him about the will, the warning in his voice made it feel like there was much more to it.

"Thank you all for coming," he continued, now addressing all the Cullens. "Isabella is needed here for the evening. I'll see to it she has transportation home."

My stomach twisted at his dismissal. He wanted Edward and his family gone.

My heart and my support.

"That's not happening," Edward said, letting go of my hand and putting his arm around my waist. "She's riding with us."

Esme stepped up to stand on my other side. "We have no problem waiting. We'll be just outside until you're finished."

Father ignored them, staring at me. It was obvious he expected me to agree with him and tell them all I would be fine and they should leave.

The problem was I had no intention of doing that.

The agreeable doormat Isabella had been slowly disappearing over the last few months, and I wanted to give her one last shove out of my head.

I kept my eyes locked on my father's. "We can talk, but then I'm leaving with them. _They_ wouldn't leave without me, unlike some people."

"Isabella, mind your manners in front of _guests_," my mother said, appearing out of nowhere and moving to stand beside by father.

"She's not bothering me," Esme retorted, stepping toward my mother. "I find her honesty very refreshing." She held out her hand. "I've been waiting to meet you. I'm Esme Cullen."

It was odd to see the two women shake hands, while the air between them was heavy with hostility. One I'd always grudgingly referred to as my mother, yet the other had actually been more of a mother figure to me in the short time I'd known her.

They couldn't have been more different.

"I suppose it's not shocking you would find her rude behavior acceptable," Mother said, removing her hand and gripping my father's arm.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Esme asked.

Mother lifted her nose and shrugged. "I find it in poor taste to crash a funeral."

Esme's mouth opened and shut, her hand clenching into a fist until Carlisle grabbed it and linked his fingers with hers.

"We were here to support Bella," Carlisle said, trying to make peace. "We consider her a part of our family."

Mother let out a dignified snort. "Well, whatever your intentions, this is a time of mourning for _our_ family. I'll have someone escort you out."

I shook my head. It seemed she had only begun her humiliation of me. The whole house was filled with non-relatives and her hypocrisy was shameful.

I faced Edward and took Esme's other hand. "Can you give me just a few minutes? Have a drink or something? I'll be out soon."

Edward leaned in close. "Are you sure you want to be alone with them? I can stay."

"I'm sure," I said, nodding my head.

I had to do this alone. Plus, I didn't want to expose the Cullens any longer to my mother's toxic attitude. It was like radiation and only tolerable in small doses.

"We'll be right out here," Edward said.

The rest of them nodded their heads in agreement, Esme giving me a smile, even though she looked like she was straining to keep her mouth shut.

As soon as they had all left the room and closed the door, I whirled back around to face my parents.

"I'm tired and this has been a long day. Can you please just tell me what you wanted to discuss with me about the will?"

"Sit down, Isabella," Mother said.

Father frowned and walked to sit behind his desk with his shoulders slumped. Whatever this was appeared to be my mother's show and not his.

If I had known that, I would have just gone back to New York immediately instead of coming here.

I sighed and took a seat on the other side of the desk, waiting for my lecture. Mother leaned against the side of the desk, her arms folded across her chest. I averted my gaze to watch my fingers tapping along my thigh, uncomfortable from her weighty stare.

"Why are they all here?" she finally asked. "What do they want?"

My head popped up at that, my eyes narrowing at her. "They don't _want_ anything! They came to be here for me. That's the kind of people they are. They care."

She rolled her eyes and then glared at my father. "I told you this was a mistake right from the start."

"What was a mistake?" I asked.

"Allowing you to get involved with that troublemaker," she said, her face set in a sneer. "Now his whole motley crew of a family is in my home interfering in our business."

Tears fell from my eyes, even though I tried to hold them back. "Why are you being so horrible? What is wrong with you?"

"There's nothing wrong with me," she claimed, waving her hand. "It's time for you to grow up. You've been coddled for far too long."

"Coddled?" I shook my head in disbelief. "Coddled? _Really?_ You've never once coddled me. Never!"

"Oh, here comes the poor Isabella act. So mistreated you've been." She laughed. "You've had a silver spoon in your mouth from day one, and I was the only one to push you toward getting everything you possibly could instead of settling for less. I'm the strength in this family. If it wasn't for me, your father would probably be Mayor of New Haven and you'd be a small town nobody."

I hated her. Not only was she mocking me, but she had to pump herself up by putting my father down.

I turned to look at him, wondering why he wasn't saying anything. "What was the whole point of having Edward and me come out publicly if you never wanted us together?"

"I never thought he would agree," he said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.

I choked down the sob in my throat, the weight of his words crushing me. Everything involving Edward had been a charade on their part from the start. Well, more so on my father's end. Mother had never been quiet about her true feelings.

But I wasn't expecting to hear that from my father. He had never thought Edward would agree because he didn't think I was enough. He didn't think what we had together was strong enough for Edward to change his life.

They were both so wrong.

"It doesn't matter now," I said, gathering all my strength. "We're in love and getting married. There's nothing you can do."

"Love?" Mother scoffed. "You don't know the first thing about love. You have your head in the clouds, but it's time for you to come back to reality." She walked over and sat in the chair next to mine. "You think I'm evil and harsh, but all I'm doing—all I've ever done—is try to set you up for the future."

I cringed away from her when she brushed my hair off my shoulder.

"You think you love that boy, but he's not what he appears to be. They never are. You think you'll be some happy little family because he can deliver a few lines to you and tell you what you want to hear? What you don't know is that while he plays nice to your face, he's boffing his costars and random sluts behind your back. Then a few years will go by, his looks will fade and so will his money and fame. You'll be left with a child or two, a ruined reputation, and likely divorced from a man clinging to his long-lost youth and screwing anything in a skirt."

I shook my head and wiped my tears, wanting to cover my ears and not listen to any more of her nonsense.

It _had_ to be nonsense.

"I'm the only one trying to tell you the truth," she continued. "Even if it's tough to hear, you need to listen. While James may not give hearts and romance, you would still be taken care of. He wouldn't leave you with nothing like that Cullen will."

"Edward's not like that. He would never cheat."

She laughed again. "He _is_ like that. I _know_ he's like that. Did he tell you about getting into a fight with a photographer a few weeks ago?"

I hated listening to her, but the seeds of doubt she was planting started taking root. I vaguely remembered Jane mentioning Edward getting into a scuffle, but with the engagement and my grandfather's passing, I'd never discussed it with him.

"I had someone following him specifically. To show you the truth. He's playing you, Isabella."

I didn't believe it. I couldn't believe it.

_Was Edward lying to me?_

No, he couldn't be.

He loved me.

_Didn't he?_

"No," I said, my voice raspy with tears. "You don't know him. Edward loves me. He isn't like that."

"They're _all_ like that," she said. "Right, Charlie?"

My mouth dropped open and I stared at my father who sat across from us with a grimace.

"Renee," he pleaded.

"Don't _Renee_ me," she countered, placing her hand on my arm. "I told you this fiasco was ending today, and she's going to hear the truth." She gripped my wrist. "Your father has had a few affairs over the years. An intern here and an assistant there. Little twits always willing to spread their legs. And believe me, Isabella. It will be ten times worse for you if you marry that Cullen."

By the expression on my father's face, it was clear my mother was telling the truth about him.

Did that mean she was also telling the truth about Edward?

"If he cheated, why did you stay together?"

She leaned back, taking her hand away. "Because he will be President. I will be First Lady." She shrugged unapologetically. "I know all of his dirty little secrets and he wouldn't dare cross me now."

There it was. That was why he wasn't putting up any fight against her. She held the strings because he would be ruined politically if she ever left and talked.

And she would never leave because what she held most dear was power.

I felt beaten down by all the revelations. Like my foundation was gone and everything I thought I knew was wrong. I never really knew them at all.

_Who were these people?_

"Did you two _ever_ love each other?"

Mother chuckled again and my father just looked sad.

"You with your love talk," she said. "I can't believe a daughter of mine is such a romantic." She sighed and leaned toward me again. "We've been married for almost thirty years. Yes, there's love here."

Maybe she was the one who didn't know what love was, because when I glanced between the two of them, I saw no love.

They put up with each other. They used each other. They were each other's means to an end.

There was no love.

Not like how I felt toward Edward. Not like how his eyes lit up when I came into a room or when he hugged and kissed me. Not even like how Esme and Carlisle acted around each other.

There was none of that here, and it made me sadder than I'd ever been before.

Sad for both of my parents.

"So you see why you need to end this farce with Cullen and go back to James?" Mother asked.

I blew out a gust of air. She thought she had me exactly where she wanted me. Although her jaded views had shaken me to the core, there was no way I could simply cut ties with Edward like she expected.

"I can't do that." I shivered and held my stomach. Even the thought of leaving Edward made me sick.

She rose to her feet and grabbed a folder off of the desk. "I thought you might need a little more incentive. You always were hardheaded." Her fingers flipped through some pages before she met my eyes again. "Your grandfather made a grievous error in not consulting with your father before foolishly handing out money like candy. I've made inquiries with a few lawyers and we're taking back the money he gave you... _unless_ you come to your senses."

My skin flushed with anger. It was like she was trampling on his grave by trying to contest his last wishes.

It wasn't about the money. It was about her thinking she could control everything.

"I don't care about the money!" I screamed and cried at the same time. "If you think I will do your bidding to keep my inheritance, you are delusional. I've never cared about the money!"

I stood up, so angry and disappointed with both of them. I couldn't stand being in the same room with them any longer. Her next words stopped me in my tracks before I reached the door.

"Will Rosalie and Jasper feel the same?"

* * *

**AN: Will Bella still be able to walk out that door? Would you? Do you hate Renee more or less after her revelation to Bella?**

**Sorry the updates have been so inconsistent. Once my real life settles down, I promise the chapters will come more regularly.**

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs****:**

**Where Roads Converge by FluffyLiz**

**We Come to Life Beneath the Stars by Lillybellis**

**Take the Ice by bellamarie117**


	19. Chapter 19 The Test

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I have so much love for these ladies. I tinker with my docs until right before posting, and any errors you see are mine.**

* * *

**The Test**

"_Will Rosalie and Jasper feel the same?"_

Something clicked in my head, like her words had flipped a switch. I had almost let her get to me. I had almost let her win. I had almost thrown away all the strength and confidence I'd built over the last few months and turned back into the girl who took it all and never fought back.

I placed my hand on the smooth wood panel of the door, holding myself steady. The warm sensation tickling my fingers was likely due to the friction of movement or the pressure from pushing against it, yet I wondered if it was something else. It was a familiar feeling of warmth. The same feeling I got in my stomach when Edward would smile at me. Or kiss me. Or tell me that he loved me.

It made me wonder if maybe Edward was standing right there on the other side of the door, his hand pressed in exactly the same spot opposite mine.

Was he listening? Had he heard the horrible things my mother had said about him? About my father?

What would he tell me to do if he was here next to me?

I closed my eyes and let out a chuckle just thinking about what Edward would do. The string of F words he'd spew would probably make my mother's head spin around as he told them exactly where they could stick their threats.

I took a deep breath and tried to channel some of his insolence.

"You should have stopped while you were ahead," I said, slowly turning around to face her. She raised her eyebrow in question and opened her mouth, but I continued on before she could talk. "If you had kept the threats directed only at me, you might have gotten away with it. I would have slinked off like I usually do and probably not have put up much of a fight. But you've pushed me too far this time."

"You don't know—"

"No!" I shouted at the ceiling before straightening my shoulders and staring her down. "You're going to listen to _me_ this time." I waved my hand between the two of us. "This is over. I'm done. You were never a real mother to me, and now I'm going to return that favor. The only thing that was holding me to this sham of a family was the belief my father was an honorable man. A leader who cared about others more than us." I spared a glance over at him, but his face was buried in his hands. "I don't know if that's true any longer."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and thought about my grandfather's letter. He'd wanted me to mend my relationship with my father, but I didn't know if it could be fixed at this point. I knew it wasn't going to happen today at least. It was Father's turn to try and make things right, and nothing but time and genuine regret for his behavior would start the process.

If it ever happened at all.

Mother continued staring at me, her amused and disbelieving expression making it apparent she didn't think I could truly stand against her.

She was so wrong.

"Let me tell you how it's going to go now," I said, taking a couple steps closer to her. "First of all, you're going to leave my inheritance alone, along with Rose's and Jasper's. In fact, never mention them ever again. You never cared about them before, and you will not delve into their lives now."

"I'll do whatever I—"

"Shut up!" I yelled, clenching my fists and cutting off her indignant speech before it started. "You will do _nothing_. The fact you think Rose and Jasper would pick money over my happiness just proves how little you know about anything. _They_ are my family, not you. You will not talk about them. You will not go near them. You will not touch anything of theirs, or so help me, I'll hire every lawyer in New York and come after you like nothing you've ever seen before!"

I took a few gulps of air, my chest heaving from anger. It felt freeing to let loose and release years of pent-up hostility. She looked shocked by my outburst, but I didn't care. There was no stuttering or nervousness on my part. I felt strong and capable for the first time ever. Maybe my mother had pushed her out, or the Cullens had pulled her out, but a forceful Bella had emerged from the weak Isabella. The chains had been broken and I wasn't going to hold back now.

"Second, you'll leave Edward alone. No more following him or trying to dig up dirt on him or his family. That ends now. He's mine. _They're_ mine. And you're to have nothing to do with them again." I stepped even closer, leaning in until we were nose-to-nose. "If you don't back off, I think I'll just have to accommodate a few of those interview requests I have piled up. I'll talk to everyone from Ryan Seacrest to Rachel Maddow and rip you apart in front of the world. I think the public would be quite interested in hearing about my philandering father and meddling mother who tried to sell their daughter off to be married to an abusive, but well-connected jerk for more campaign funding."

Her mouth dropped open, but I wasn't finished yet.

"You always were one for image, Mother. How do you think my real-life story will play with the voters?"

She shook her head. "You wouldn't."

I laughed, whether from her statement or the immense relief I felt by ridding their weight from my shoulders. When my giggles finally died down, I faced her again with a smile.

"Try me."

She had no retort this time. No more comebacks or threats. Maybe she finally saw the truth in my eyes.

"You were right about one thing, though," I said. "I do need to grow up." I backed away a few steps toward the door. "This is me being a grown up. Stay out of my life. Stay away from my friends and my family. I won't interfere with the campaign only on the condition you no longer interfere with my life. Take it or leave it."

When neither of them responded, I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'll take your silence as agreement." I opened the door and turned my head back to my father. "The next move is yours."

I walked out and ran right into a wall.

A wall of Edward.

He was waiting there for me on the other side of the door, his family right behind him, and my heart almost burst at the sight of them. His face was set with worry, but he was there, just like I'd imagined him to be.

"I heard you yelling."

I nodded, putting my arms around his neck and leaning into him. He didn't hesitate when I stood on my tip-toes and pressed my lips to his, even though the door was wide open and my parents were staring out at us. I felt his smile as we kissed and pulled back a little, moving my hand to brush my finger along his curved lips.

"Why are you smiling?"

He held me tighter and laughed. "I don't know. You make me happy." He leaned in to whisper in my ear. "It seems even more real since we did that in front of your parents."

It made me both happy and sad to hear him say that. Happy because he clearly felt more secure in how much he meant to me, but sad that he might have doubted it before.

"Let's get out of here."

"Okay," he said, squeezing me once and letting me out of his hug. His eyes darted to my parents and back to me again. "Should I say goodbye?"

I shook my head and pulled on his arm to lead them out. "No. Don't bother."

Emmett and Alice laughed, walking next to us, but Esme's voice rang out from behind our group. I turned around to see her addressing my parents from the doorway.

"Thank you for having us in your home. It was _such_ a pleasure."

I bit my lip and laughed when she dipped down in a mock curtsy. She and Carlisle headed toward us as soon as she'd stood up straight.

"Was that really necessary?" Carlisle asked in a loud whisper, obviously trying not to laugh.

"Sorry," Esme answered, not sounding sorry at all. She winked at me and motioned for us all to keep walking.

I kept my head up and gripped Edward's hand, ignoring all of the stares and whispers targeted at us on our way out. After we all finally piled back into the SUV, every Cullen turned their attention on me.

"What?" I asked.

Esme reached her hand back from her spot in the front seat and rubbed my knee. "How are you?"

I took a quick stock of the situation. While it had been one of the hardest and most emotionally draining days of my life, I also felt lighter than I ever had before. It was freedom I tasted when I breathed in the air, like I was prisoner liberated from her cell for the first time after a life sentence. When I met all their concerned gazes, my smile was genuine.

"I'm definitely okay. Great, really." And I was, although a bit of nervousness crept in from their concern. "How much did you all hear?"

Several pairs of eyes averted and throats cleared, meaning they'd heard more than I hoped they had.

"I'm sorry," Edward said, gripping my hand. "We moved down the hall at first, but when your mother yelled at you, I couldn't stay away. We weren't listening intentionally, but I wanted to be close in case you needed me."

Emmett punched his shoulder. "She didn't need any of us. Homegirl laid the smackdown on them." He held his hand out to high-five me and I laughed when I returned the gesture.

"There's no need for you to be concerned about any of us saying a word," Carlisle chimed in, also turned to face me. He looked around at each person. "Anything that was heard will always be kept in strict confidence."

Everyone nodded, although that was the last thing I'd been worried about. I was more concerned about how pathetic I must have seemed to have that horrible relationship with my parents to begin with.

"I just wish you hadn't heard any of it." I glanced down at my lap and played with my skirt. "I can't even imagine what you think of me and my parents."

They were all silent, and I finally lifted my head to take in all of their shocked faces.

_Did I say something wrong?_

"I thought you were brave," Edward said.

"Badass," Emmett added.

"Strong and loyal," Alice said with a nod.

"You stood up for yourself, your friends, and even us," Carlisle said. "I don't mean to sound like a dad here, but I will anyway. You made me proud."

I finally met Esme's eyes, which were shiny with unshed tears.

"There are many things I could say about your parents. Your mother, in particular. But I won't. You don't need to hear all that. Just know this." Her hand left my knee and grabbed mine. "You are sweet, kind, and reacted exactly how any person pushed to her limit would have. Their behavior is no reflection on you. You have no fault here." Her nose scrunched and her eyes hardened. "If either of them—or anyone else—treats you like that again, you come find me." She sat up straight and turned in her seat. "In fact, I have half a mind to go back in there and kick some asses."

Carlisle grabbed her arm just as she opened her door to jump out. Everyone laughed watching him try to calm her down and get her buckled in before she could escape. When he turned back to me, he was still chuckling and shaking his head.

"Do you want to go back to your place in New York?"

I nodded and leaned against Edward. "Yes, please. If you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all." He turned back around and started the car.

I relaxed against Edward as he held me close, letting their soft conversations and the movement of the car lull me to sleep. It had been an exhausting day, but I couldn't deny how much all their sentiments had meant to me. I hadn't been expecting them to be so understanding, but for them to go beyond that and actually praise my behavior blew my mind.

It was a new experience for me to feel such inclusion and encouragement, particularly from parental figures like Esme and Carlisle. It was a feeling I could definitely get used to.

I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, Edward was nudging me awake.

"Bella, are you hungry? Do you want a burger and some fries?"

I blinked and rubbed my eyes. We were in the drive-thru line at a McDonald's. My stomach rumbled at the smell of greasy french fries, and I realized I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"Um, yeah." I nodded and tried to clear my head. "I'll have some chicken nuggets and fries."

Esme smiled back at me. "We were going to stop at a real restaurant, but you were out cold."

"I told them we should just get something fast that we could eat on the way," Edward said. "I figured you'd rather get to bed as soon as we could."

I melted inside because he was always thinking of me.

It took about fifteen minutes to get through the line and have our food passed around, but I moaned a little when the first french fry hit my tongue and I washed it down with some sweet Coca-Cola. It tasted so good and I munched away as Carlisle drove off again.

Everything was great until Emmett unwrapped his fish sandwich.

The smell hit me like a wrecking ball, and my stomach revolted with nausea. I covered my mouth, trying to keep myself from getting sick.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked.

I felt my food rising back up, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to keep it down.

"Pull over! Please, pull over."

The car jerked to the side of the road and stopped. I pushed Edward out of the door before jumping out myself. I barely made it outside before my delicious fries and soda made a reappearance.

Edward tried to hold my hair back, but I nudged him away. This was so embarrassing. I had never gotten so sick before just from a smell.

Esme appeared a few seconds later with some napkins and a bottle of water. When my heaving stopped, I rinsed out my mouth with some water and tried to clean myself up. Carlisle made his way around the car with a very distinct doctor-like expression on his face.

Esme put her hand on my forehead and cheek. "She doesn't have a temperature."

"I'm not _sick_ sick," I choked out. "I'm sorry. I really don't know what happened. I think it was the smell of the fish."

"Fish?" Edward asked. He ran back over to the car and reached inside. "Give me that fucking thing!"

Carlisle, Esme, and I watched as a half-eaten fish sandwich went soaring through the air over our heads.

"Hey!" Emmett yelled. "I wasn't finished with that!"

"Shut the hell up and start airing out that stench," Edward ranted.

Carlisle shook his head and turned back to me. "So it came on all of a sudden? You feel better now?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm still a little queasy, but I'm better now. I'm so sorry."

Esme put her arm around my shoulders. "Stop that. No need to be sorry. You couldn't help it." She glanced at Carlisle. "You help them air out the car. Bella and I are going to take a few minutes in the fresh air."

She led me along the side of the road for a minute, while I took gentle sips of water.

"Bella, can I ask you something personal?" she asked when we were out of earshot. "I don't mean to pry or to embarrass you in any way, it's only because I'm concerned."

My stomach roiled again, this time with nervousness. It seemed conversations started like this never ended well.

Getting sick in the car probably ruined all their opinions of my strength.

I couldn't look at her, but mumbled a hesitant "yes".

She chuckled and squeezed my shoulder. "Don't worry, sweetheart. It could be nothing. You've had an extremely stressful day, and maybe that was just your body's way of letting you know you need to take some time and rest." She stopped our walking and moved to face me. "But in my experience, I've only seen two things to cause such an immediate reaction to a smell or to food. One is the flu. Are you achy at all. Feeling off?"

"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "What's the other?"

She brushed some loose strands of hair off my face. "Is it possible you're pregnant?"

_Pregnant?_ Did she say _pregnant_?

I shook my head again. "No. No way. It's not possible."

Her head cocked to the side as she watched me. "Are you sure?"

_Was I sure?_

My hand moved to cover my stomach. I'd taken a birth control pill first thing every morning since I was sixteen. Of course I was sure. This whole situation seemed utterly surreal. We were standing alongside a road in Port Chester, and I was having a conversation about possible babies with Edward's mother in the dark of evening, while the rest of his family were waving their hands like maniacs, airing out a rental car so I didn't puke again.

_Was I on an episode of Punk'd?_

"Uh..." I swallowed a few times, the trembling in my hands spreading to the rest of my body. "I mean... well... Edward and I have... you know... done things... before... sometimes... once... probably more than once—"

She cut me off with a fierce hug. "Shh, please don't get upset. You can talk to me. Nothing you say would ever make me think less of you. Don't be scared or embarrassed or worried. I know you and my son love each other."

It was clear I had to bite the bullet and tell her the truth, so she didn't continue on this ridiculous idea that I might be pregnant. I only hoped she didn't think I was promiscuous.

"I'm on the pill," I whispered in her ear.

She continued holding me tight, her hand cradling the back of my head the way a mother would comfort a child.

"Even the pill isn't one hundred percent effective," she said softly. "When was your last period?"

I focused on my schedule and thought hard about where I was at in my cycle. I knew I was nearing a hell week in a few days, so my last period would have been around mid-July. That had been a difficult time because of my separation from Edward, and I remembered my period being extremely light. Not much more than some spotting. I had chalked it up to stress from being around my parents so much.

_But what if it wasn't? _

Holy crap.

I gulped down a few breaths, thinking about how many times Edward and I had _been together_ around his birthday. We couldn't keep our hands off of each other.

In his bedroom, his pool, his car, his shower, the kitchen table.

_Oh, God. _

The kitchen table.

That was good. _Really_ good.

I almost moaned before remembering I was hugging his mother and thinking about sexy times with her son simultaneously.

Ugh.

_What was the question?_

"Bella?"

A few tears escaped my eyes before I could stop them and she pulled back to wipe them away.

"I... I don't... it was almost a month ago. Really light."

My trembling had turned into panic and I stared at her with wide eyes.

She smiled and nodded. "Okay. It's okay. Everything will be alright. I want you to take a deep breath."

I did.

"Another."

I did again.

"Good. One more."

I kept my gaze on her kind face, willing my body to stop shaking as I did what she asked.

She rubbed my arms. "Okay, this is what we're going to do. I'll have Carlisle stop at a drugstore and I'll run inside. I'll tell them I'm getting something to calm your stomach, but I'll also pick up a pregnancy test. You can take it when we get you home."

Pregnancy test.

This was real. It was really happening.

Could I really be pregnant? With Edward's baby?

What would he say? Would he be happy? Upset?

We hadn't even discussed having children. Not really. What was I going to do with a baby? I didn't know the first thing about babies.

What if I turned out like my mother?

_Oh, my God._

My parents. Me, pregnant outside of wedlock. The campaign.

I started hyperventilating again.

"Bella, calm down." She hugged me again. "Breathe with me."

My mind was spinning out of control, but her easing my fears like this reminded me of how Edward and I met. He had told me he learned this trick from his mother, and he was right.

It made me smile through my panic, bringing me back to normal more quickly.

"I'm sorry," I finally said.

"Oh, honey," she said, swaying us both a little. "I know your head is whirling with all these thoughts and doubts and worries. But try to relax right now. You don't know anything for certain yet. And either way, I promise everything will work out."

I nodded, wanting to believe her.

"Come on, let's get you back. Edward's pacing around like a lion in a cage."

I snorted and turned to look at him. He _was_ pacing, just like she said, along with gripping his hair, and trying to sneakily send concerned glances our way every few moments.

Esme and I walked back to the car, and I could see the questions in all of their eyes.

"Sorry about the fish, Bella," Emmett said first.

Edward rolled his eyes and pulled me close. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

I didn't say anything more, afraid I would blurt out his mother's suspicion if I tried to talk too much. Edward kept asking how I was over and over while we all got back in the car and drove to the nearest drugstore. I tried to smile and wave it all off, but he didn't believe me.

When we pulled into the store parking lot, Esme and Carlisle appeared to have a silent conversation with each other before she turned back to us.

"I'm going to run in quickly," she said, looking at Edward. "It'll be better if you and Bella stay in here. It would take longer if some fan spots you two."

"I'll go in with you," Emmett offered.

"No, no," she said. "You stay here. I'll be right back."

Edward raised his eyebrow then seemed to shrug off his curiosity when he turned his attention back to me as soon as she left.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes." I couldn't look at him though.

"Maybe you're getting some bug with all the travel and stress. We should get you to a doctor tomorrow."

I let out a hysterical laugh.

_We might have to go to a doctor soon enough. A baby doctor._

I buried my face in my hands and prayed for Esme to hurry.

"Edward, leave her alone," Alice said, grabbing one of my hands to hold. "She's fine. Your hovering is starting to stress _me_ out."

He listened to her, easing off his questioning and holding me silently instead. Esme returned in a few minutes and we were again on our way. I made a show of choking down some Tums, but it was the other item in the bag she kept up front with her that had me distracted.

It was odd how my thoughts had morphed from straight up denial to shock to panic and now to an almost serene hopefulness. The longer I sat there next to the man I loved and ruminated over the possibility of being pregnant with his child, the more I wanted that test to come out positive.

I didn't understand why, and I had no clue what to expect if it was true, but the possibility was making my heart pitter-patter like nothing ever had before.

In what seemed like no time at all, we arrived at my building and I gave Carlisle the passcode to enter the underground garage. They said they were only staying to get me settled in and then taking off for a hotel, but Esme's eyes told me that was code for _she wanted to make sure I didn't pass out while waiting for the pink lines to appear_.

We got upstairs to a quiet apartment, and I wondered if Rose and Jasper were already in bed. Everyone gathered in the den, Edward pouring some drinks at my request.

"Esme, would you like to see the rest of the place?" I asked, anxious to get this over with and unable to come up with a better excuse for some privacy.

"I want to see it, too!" Alice said, jumping up to join us. "This is my first time here and I've heard all about it."

I bit my lip nervously and shifted my weight back and forth. It would be obvious something was going on if I denied her.

"Okay, come on."

It was going to come out no matter what anyway.

Edward grabbed me before I could walk out. "Hey, what's happening here? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm great. I promise," I told him, trying to assure him the best I could.

But I started to feel like I was deceiving him in some way. I wasn't sure if it would be better to talk with him before I took the test or wait until I knew for sure one way or the other.

Esme ended my floundering and pushed the shopping bag into my hands. "Bella, you two go. We'll be fine here."

"Right," I said, still staring up at Edward. "Okay. Good."

He must have had a million questions because he quickly led me out and away from his family. The closer we got to my bedroom, the more uneasy I became.

_How would he take this news?_

I tried to think of ways to tell him, tossing line after line around in my head as we walked in silence.

_Hey, how do you feel about kids?_

_Did you know the pill wasn't foolproof?_

_Are you okay with me having your bun in my oven?_

I was definitely not going to use that last one.

We finally stepped into my room. He flipped on the light and sat me down on the bed, leaning down until his face was in front of mine.

"What's going on?"

I licked my lips, clutching the bag to my chest and hoping my voice would come out louder than a squeak.

"Don't get mad, okay?"

His eyebrows scrunched together. "Why in the world would I get mad?" He knelt down on the floor and rubbed my legs. "I know something is up, and it worries me more that you're not telling me." His eyes fell to the bag. "What's in there? Mom didn't buy us condoms, did she?"

I laughed until tears were streaming down my face. Maybe she should have bought us some a couple months ago.

Edward just stared at me looking confused and a little bit frightened. He probably thought I was cracking under all the pressure.

Perhaps I was.

I didn't have the right words to tell him, so I reached in the bag, grabbed the pregnancy test and tossed it at him.

"I'm not sure... your mom thought maybe... I don't know," I stammered as he fumbled with the box. "It wasn't on purpose. I... I swear. I take my pill every day. You have to believe me. If I am... um... _you know_, it was an accident."

I was so afraid that Edward being who he was would think I tried to trap him or something. I imagined movie stars had to protect themselves all the time from that sort of thing. Of course, he'd asked me to marry him, but that didn't necessarily mean he wanted kids.

This would definitely tie us together forever.

His eyes stayed glued to the box and his mouth remained shut. Each silent second that passed had me closer to bursting into more tears.

After this roller coaster of a day, I wasn't sure if I had any tears left.

I held my breath when his gaze slowly moved upward and met mine.

"You might be _pregnant_?" He sounded surprised, not angry.

"I don't know. I mean... maybe."

He tossed the box aside and practically tackled me. I was too shocked at his unexpected kissing attack, I didn't think to warn him away from my possible puke breath.

"Oh, fuck!" He shouted, rolling us over so I was on top. "I didn't think about the baby. I'm sorry for landing on you like that."

He pulled my head down and crashed his lips back to mine before I could tell him he was being ridiculous. His hands slid under my dress, running up the back of my thighs and settling on my butt.

I had expected him to be angry or upset or shocked or numb or scared.

But not horny.

I lifted myself up, hovering over him and panting. "You aren't mad?"

He rolled us back over, gently this time, shaking his head and staring down at me. "I'm mad that you would think I'd be mad. You need to have more faith in me."

And that did make me cry.

"I'm sorry," he rushed out, kissing my tears. "Don't cry. Everything is going to be great. I promise."

"They're happy tears!" I sobbed.

He grinned. "So you're happy?"

"Yes. I'm scared, but I'm happy."

He kissed me hard. "Don't be scared. I'm going to take such good care of you."

"And I'll take good care of you, too." I brushed his hair off his forehead, wondering how I'd gotten so lucky. _How did this wonderful man love me?_ I swallowed another sob. "I'm so happy I found you."

He kissed me again and chuckled. "I think _I_ found _you_." He pushed himself up on all fours, staring at my cleavage. "I also think your boobs are bigger already."

I shoved him away with a laugh. "We don't even know for sure."

He jumped off the bed and pulled me up, giving me a smack on the butt. "Get in there and pee on a stick so I can get you naked."

I grabbed the box and headed to the bathroom, ignoring his mumbling about being left with a semi. I had just finished the instructions and was set to go when he opened the door and stuck his head in.

"Get out!"

He laughed. "I was just making sure you weren't looking without me. I want to be there."

"I'll be out in a second. It has to sit for three minutes."

"Okay, okay."

I got the test set up and went back out to sit next to him on the bed. He grabbed my hand, holding our twined fingers together on his leg.

"Are you hoping it's positive?" he asked after a couple minutes of silence.

I took a shaky breath and glanced over at his wistful smile. "Yeah."

He brought our hands up to his mouth, kissing my knuckles.

"Me, too."

* * *

**AN: Were you proud of Bella's response to her mother? Surprised about Edward's response to the pregnancy test? Are you hoping for a positive or negative?**

**A lot of you were angry with Bella last time, thinking she'd cave again. I hope she's regained your faith here. Let me know what you think!**

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Stubborn Love by VampiresHavebeagles**

**Sanctuary by cosmogirl7481**

**Stolen by Rochelle Allison**


	20. Chapter 20 The Result

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I have so much love for these ladies. I tinker with my docs until right before posting, and any errors you see are mine.**

**This chapter picks up right where the last one left off.**

**But this is more from Edward…**

* * *

**The Result**

"It's been three minutes," I said, throwing my jacket off and loosening my tie.

I helped her off the bed and we both turned to look at each other at the same time. Her face told me she was as excited to see the results as I was, and when she took off in a sprint toward the bathroom, I chased her like my ass was on fire.

As much as I wanted to see whether it was positive or not, there was something I needed to know first.

"Wait!" I rushed ahead of her, grabbed the test stick off the counter, and held it behind my back. She was cute as hell trying to ineffectually reach around and take it from me. "Stop."

She huffed and quit grabbing at my hands.

"I want you to promise me something."

She tilted her head up, her eyebrow raised in question.

"What is it?"

A lot of things.

Well, mainly one thing.

As soon as Bella had agreed to marry me last week, it was all that was on my mind. I'd never thought of myself as one who would want to settle down, have a family, and all that white picket fence shit.

But then I met her.

When I had told my father and Emmett and even Eleazar that Bella was the one, I wasn't joking around. She was it. Fucked-up family and all. I was ready to turn my world upside down, and I wanted to make sure she was still on this path with me. The way I felt with her by my side wasn't something I was willing to give up.

For anything.

Except now, I knew Bella had to be a mess inside. She'd gone through so much in the last few months—the last few days especially.

I'd heard every single word her bitch of a mother threw at her earlier today. A day Bella had already suffered through from burying her grandfather. I was so angry standing outside that office, Emmett and my father had to hold me back at one point from ripping down the door.

It tore me up to hear her taking the accusations and threats. I wanted to be there by her side, or even stand in front of her. Anything to lessen the abuse being laid down on her.

Since the first moment we met, I always had a strong urge to protect her. Yet, when she stood her ground against her mom and fought back, it was the biggest turn-on ever.

It was fucking hot.

I still had a massive inclination to guard and defend her, though knowing for sure she could also fight her own battles made her even more appealing.

But...

As strong as she had been over the ups and downs of the past week, I knew her. I knew she was probably overthinking her actions after the fact—maybe even beating herself up—and worried about the consequences, all on top of mourning and taking care of Rose and Jasper.

Now a possible pregnancy. It was enough to make my head spin, let alone hers.

I had to know—before we saw the outcome of the test—if she still wanted what I wanted.

I swallowed a few times, hoping her answer would be yes.

"We had plans before all this happened, and I know we have a lot to talk about with your parents and our future and whatever else. But we were both ready to practically elope. I still want that. Well, not elope, but get married. I want you to have your beach wedding—and soon—like we talked about. Will you promise me we'll still do it, no matter what this test says?"

I watched her face closely, looking for any signs of doubt or hesitation. It confused me a little when her eyes glazed over and she licked her lips.

When her gaze fell from mine, I started to sweat, but she wasn't looking at the floor or avoiding me on purpose.

I swear to God she was staring at my cock.

"Bella? What are you thinking? Your eyes went a little crazy."

She blew out a breath and shook her head.

"I... I promise."

I grinned. "We're still doing this?"

She nodded. "Yes, I want to marry you."

I almost broke out into a dance. Instead, I set the test stick back down on the counter behind me and wrapped my arms around Bella.

I squeezed the shit out of her.

She relaxed against me, and I loved it. I was a physical person, always had been, and Bella was coming around. She had seemed so surprised when we first got together, whenever I'd reach out and touch her or hold her or just want to be near her, but now she sought my touch as much as I did hers.

It had to be difficult for her growing up, never getting any hugs or affection from those who were supposed to give it—just another thing I hated about her parents—and I wanted to make up for it. Perhaps I overcompensated sometimes by never letting her out of my grasp when we were together, but oh-fucking-well.

She didn't seem to mind.

"I love you, you know that?"

"Yes." Her voice came out in a mumble, since I was holding her so tight.

"I'll be done filming in a couple weeks. How about we tie the knot after that and then take some time away? Just the two of us."

"Away? Like a honeymoon?"

"Yeah." I released one arm from around her and brushed her hair back when she sniffed my neck. "Like a honeymoon. Or simply time away from everything and everyone. We could just _be_ for a while. Focus on you and me. We haven't gotten to do that very much."

"Yet we're getting married anyway," she said with a chuckle.

Maybe we were crazy for rushing into it, but it felt right to me. I didn't give a shit if other people had a problem with it just as long as Bella was on board.

"Would you rather wait?"

"No." She met my eyes again. "I want to be Bella Cullen."

_Bella Cullen_.

Hearing her say she wanted my name made me feel like the fucking _man_. I thought I'd wanted her when she threw that pregnancy test box at me, but I wanted her even more now. I reached around and grabbed that ass, pulling her against me.

We had entirely too many clothes on.

She licked her lips again, her tongue peeking out and teasing me, and I just lost it. I lifted her up by her ass, pressed her against the wall, and kissed her hard.

Everything about Bella turned me on. Made me crave her. It had from the very start. Her smell, her taste, her sounds, the way she felt in my hands. We were a perfect fit.

With one glance she could have me hard as a rock.

She had no clue just how much power she had over me.

I pulled her skirt up and she wrapped her legs around me, moaning into my mouth. When I finally tore my lips from hers to take a breath, she tilted her head to the side, giving me room to attack her neck.

I chuckled and sucked on her sweet skin, enjoying the way she squirmed and whimpered in my arms.

She dragged her nails through my hair before tugging on it. That shit felt good and drove me crazy, and I bucked my hips into her.

"Oh, God," she cried.

My tongue trailed up her neck and I nibbled on her ear. "Yeah? You like that?"

"Mmmhmm." She gripped my hair again, her tugs getting rougher whenever I hit the right spots.

I knew _all_ of her spots.

I grabbed her thigh and hitched it a little higher on my hip before sliding my hand up along the back of her leg. The tiny strip of lace she called panties were soaked through when I moved them to the side so I could touch her.

She groaned and grinded her hips as I rubbed her clit and slipped a finger inside of her.

"Do you want more?"

"Yes," she panted. "But your parents... _oh_... there... yesss."

I smiled, curling my fingers and making her forget everything except the two of us. She moaned and cried out as I brought her to the edge, and when she clenched around my fingers, I pulled my lips from her neck to see her face. There was nothing better than watching her when she came. Her eyes closed in pleasure, her cheeks flushed, and her lips parted.

It was fucking beautiful.

I turned us around, carrying her back over to place her on the countertop. I wasn't nearly done yet.

"These come off," I said, tugging her panties down and untying the belt on her wraparound dress.

She eased out of the fabric, letting it fall to the counter around her, and I reached around to unclasp her bra and toss it away.

I took a moment as she got her breath back to admire her spread out in front of me. Her chest was as flushed as her cheeks, heaving a little as she came down from her high. Her nipples were hard and pointing at me, begging to be touched. My gaze lowered to her flat belly, and I was briefly distracted, wondering how much longer it was going to remain that way.

The test was sitting right there next to us.

_No_.

Sex first, then I'd think about the pregnancy.

My hands slid up her inner thighs, pushing them apart so I could stand between them. I gently rubbed her bare pussy again before bringing my fingers to my mouth to taste.

_So fucking good_.

Her breath caught and my eyes darted up to her face. She was watching me taste her.

That was hot.

I needed to be inside her. Now.

_Why the fuck did I still have all of my clothes on?_

"Unzip me."

She reached out and did what I told her to, while I ripped off my tie and unbuttoned my shirt. My pants had fallen to the floor by the time my shirt was off, and I groaned and shuddered when she tugged my boxers down and grabbed me.

Her hands felt amazing wrapped around my cock, sliding up and down.

"Tighter," I said through clenched teeth. "Hold it like it's yours."

Her face flushed a little more, and I wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or arousal. I knew dirty talk usually got her worked up, so I was banking on arousal.

"It is, you know," I continued, watching her eyes widen.

"What?" she asked.

"It _is_ yours." I brought my thumb back to rub her clit again. "Just like your pussy is _mine_."

She tugged harder, and I blew out a breath to calm myself. I was close to exploding already.

I grabbed her thighs, pulling her closer until her ass was right on the edge of the counter. I took her hands and placed them around my neck before positioning myself.

"You better hold on tight."

Her eyes closed and she moaned loudly when I pushed inside of her.

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

She felt so good surrounding me. Too good.

Wet and warm and perfect.

I kissed her neck again, her head falling backward as I drove into her.

"How does this feel?"

She made some sound in the back of her throat, like she was looking for her voice. "Good. So good."

"Do you want more? _Harder_?"

"Yes." She clawed my back, probably drawing blood.

I didn't care at the moment.

I hooked my arm under one of her knees, opening her up to me even more, watching the way we came together as I pounded in and out of her. The little room was filled and echoing with the sounds of our grunts and moans and sloppy sex noises.

I was so close.

The familiar burn in my gut made me tense and strain and push into her as deep as I could go. My ears were practically ringing when I felt her clamp down around me and cry out, taking me right over the edge with her.

_Holy shit_.

That was good.

I let go of her legs, letting my forehead fall to her shoulder as I held her close. We were both panting and clinging, catching our breath.

"Damn, baby." I left a trail of kisses on her shoulder. "Every time."

How could it be so good every single time? In fact, it seemed to be getting even better.

"I know," she said. "There are no words."

There didn't need to be any words.

That was another good thing about us. Although I could talk her ear off and she could babble with the best of them, our silences weren't awkward. We didn't always have to fill the spaces with bullshit.

When I switched and started kissing her other shoulder, my eyes fell to the test stick.

Now that I could think straight, I really, really wanted to see the results.

Was it okay to look, even though I was still inside her? Did that make me perverted?

_Fuck it._

Bella let out a happy sigh, still relaxed against me, her hands sliding up and down my back and shoulders. Her face was turned the other way when I picked up the stick to take a look.

I was expecting to see some lines or colors or something. But no, mom must have gotten the best one. This one had it spelled out in words for me.

Well, one word.

_Pregnant_.

Bella was pregnant. With my baby.

"Baby," I blurted out.

"Hmm?"

"No." I tightened my hold around her. "I mean we're going to have a baby."

Her hands froze, and I pulled away enough to watch her reaction. She turned her head to stare at the stick I held for her, and her eyes welled up.

I'd never really had a problem with tears. They were just a release of emotion, in my opinion, and I had no issues admitting I was an emotional guy. I _had_ to be in my profession. If I wasn't somewhat in tune with my feelings and emotions, there would be no way for me to get into character or express what the directors wanted to bring out.

Plus, I grew up with my mom and Alice, both of whom could cry at the drop of a hat.

However, for some reason, Bella's tears always gutted me. I hated seeing her upset.

I brushed my thumb over her cheek. "Are these happy tears again?"

A few drops spilled over, but her lips curved up in the biggest smile as she nodded.

Damn, she was beautiful.

And I was the luckiest fucker on the planet.

Then her demeanor seemed to change in a second. Her smile fell and her breathing was quick and shaky.

"What is it?"

"My parents," she whispered.

I closed my eyes and tried to fight off the urge to kill those assholes. Even after what she said to them today, they were still in her head. Still ruining what should be a happy moment for us.

"Don't think about them." I hugged her tight again.

"I'm sorry. I really don't want to. I'm so happy and I want this." She took a couple breaths, and I could feel her trying to force herself to relax. "It's just that this was the one thing..." Her voice broke off, but she clung to me harder.

"The one thing?"

"It's the campaign. They're so conservative. If people find out... I just... I'm not sure what to do."

Then the worst thought ever entered my mind. I almost couldn't bring myself to say it.

"Bella, you're not thinking about... " I swallowed hard and wanted to cry myself. "You wouldn't consider an abortion, would you?"

"No!" she screamed.

I leaned back and shook my head, my ears ringing again, but this time from her piercing shout. She sure had a set of lungs on her when she wanted to.

"Okay." I chuckled, feeling much better. "Sorry. I had to make sure."

She put her palms on my cheeks and brought us nose-to-nose. "I would never do that."

"I know." And I did. I knew that. It was stupid of me to even say it out loud.

Then she burst into tears again. I wondered if it was the hormone things I'd heard about with pregnant women. Supposedly they did crazy things to their bodies and heads. My buddy told me once he had to sleep with one eye open when his pregnant girlfriend got too upset.

"I'm sorry! I hate that I'm even mentioning them. I shouldn't care, and I don't _want_ to think about them at all. I'm just afraid of what's going to happen. There are a lot of people out there—enemies and opponents of my father in particular—who are going to have a field day with this information. They will throw him _and_ me under the bus."

"Over my dead body." I squeezed her until her sobs died down. "For one thing, we don't have to tell anyone outside of our immediate circle about the pregnancy. Second, you already agreed to marry me in a couple weeks. Fuck your parents and fuck anybody else who has a problem. They don't know anything and I'll be damned if anyone is going to make you feel bad. Look at me."

She wiped her nose and met my eyes.

"I'm taking charge as of this moment. You can consider yourself part of _my_ team now. We'll meet with Jane and Paul before the wedding and lay out some information. We'll deal with any possible publicity issues on our side and figure out the best way to move forward. But it's going to be fine. I won't allow anything to happen to you. I'm taking care of you and this little one now." I patted her stomach, already feeling as protective over the baby as I did over Bella. "I promise that both of you are my first priority. Nothing is more important."

A hint of a smile appeared on her face again, and she placed her hand over mine. "You're both the most important to me, too."

"Good then." I kissed all over her face until she laughed. "No more tears. No more worrying tonight."

"Is this you being in charge?"

I nodded. "Yes, and I'm just getting started." I helped her off the counter. "Now put on something comfortable and we'll go talk to the family. Emmett's probably got a kegger going on out there by now."

She laughed and it was the best sound in the world.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

"You should have seen it," Alice said, giggling. "Edward grabbed Em's sandwich and threw it about fifty yards in the air."

"I always thought he would have been a great baseball player," Dad added.

Bella and I walked in together, finding Rose surrounded by my family and all of them laughing together. She must have woken up from the noise because she was in her pajamas and looked quite tired.

Although that could have just been from the long day.

The memory of Bella's grandfather asking me to take care of not only Bella, but Rose too, popped into my head. I imagined Emmett wouldn't need any prodding to help out with that task.

They all turned to stare at us and Bella's cheeks tinged pink.

"Are you feeling okay?" Rose asked first, likely worried from the fish story.

The room went completely silent and I squeezed Bella's hand. She tugged on my arm to pull me closer.

"You tell them," she whispered.

I cleared my throat. "We have some news. First, as soon as I'm done filming in Vancouver, we want to have our wedding. So we'll probably need all of your help in planning it. And second... well... Bella's pregnant."

The girls all immediately jumped up and flocked around Bella. I backed away from that madness only to be bear-hugged by my dad.

"Congratulations, son," he said, his voice all scratchy.

"Don't cry, Dad. I just spent the last hour calming Bella down."

"Is she okay with this?" he asked softly so she couldn't hear him.

"Yeah, she is. Her only worries revolve around her parents."

He leaned back and nodded. "Yeah, that's understandable." He slapped my shoulder. "You'll take care of her, though."

"I will."

Emmett jabbed his elbow into my side. "Duuude. Didn't you wrap it up?"

I threw his arm away from me. "Not that it's any of your business, but we used birth control." I smirked and pointed at my cock. "My boys got through that shit."

Emmett laughed, but I shuffled my feet when I realized Dad was still standing there.

"Sorry, Dad."

He shook his head and went over to the girls. They were still all surrounding Bella with hugs and kisses, but she was beaming and happy.

That was all I cared about.

Emmett leaned closer again. "You know her dad is going to kill you."

"Fuck him."

He cracked his knuckles and nodded. "He deserves more than a kick in the ass, and I'm down for whatever. Just watch your back, and I'll be watching it, too."

I rolled my eyes. The Senator was a fucking coward. He wasn't going to do anything to me.

"What did you guys say to Rose while we were gone?"

I wondered if Bella was going to tell Rose what her mother had threatened to do.

"Not much. She's only been out here for about twenty minutes. What took you guys so long anyway?"

"Don't worry about it."

He laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I'm happy for you, Bro."

It took a few more minutes until everyone started to settle down. Mom wanted to talk some more before they left for the hotel. I moved to sit next to Bella.

"Where's the restroom?" Alice asked.

Bella gave her directions and Alice darted off, turning her head back toward us.

"Don't talk about anything until I get back. I'll only be a second!"

Before we could all yell at her to watch out, she ran right into a surprised Jasper, who had just appeared in the doorway. They both went sprawling to the floor, although I noticed Jasper took the brunt of the fall and held Alice on top of him.

My mouth fell open at the sight and Bella's expression mirrored mine when our eyes met. She must have been thinking exactly the same thing as me.

Jasper had just been knocked on his ass.

By my sister.

* * *

**AN: The test ended up positive. What do you think is going to happen when the Swans find out? How is a "married Edward" going to play in the press? Are you happy Jasper got knocked on his ass? **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Down Home by MrsSpaceCowboy**

**Fill Me with Your Poison by Nolebucgrl**

**Also, there are a couple of contests coming up that I'm involved with. You should check them out and give us your entries! Find me on facebook or twitter if you have any questions!**

**Dirty Talkin' Edward contest - Twitter: dirtytalkedward**

**TLS Angst Contest – Twitter: TLSAngstContest**


	21. Chapter 21 The Act

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I have so much love for these ladies. I tinker with my docs until right before posting, and any errors you see are mine.**

* * *

**The Act**

I couldn't believe Alice plowed into Jasper like that, knocking them both off balance, but it was the aftermath which was truly interesting. They were both blushing, stammering, and stuttering apologies as they tried to untangle themselves and get back up off the floor.

It was clear by the way their eyes darted around to the rest of us but continued to go back to each other that there was some sort of attraction there, and it brought my grandfather's words to the front of my mind.

Was it just coincidence, or was it fate that he had described this exact situation? And what did it mean for the rest of his letter?

In that moment, watching this crazy scene unfold in front of me, my mind went to my father of all places. Despite everything from earlier in the day—and over the last few months—I wondered more than ever if my grandfather was right. Watching Alice and Jasper fumbling around each other, some tiny part of my heart or my head was telling me I _would_ one day forgive my father and that deep down he really may be the good man my grandfather had believed him to be.

"Did that really just happen?" Edward whispered in my ear when Alice finally brushed herself off and disappeared toward the bathroom.

I giggled and nodded, watching Jasper's gaze stuck on Alice's retreating form before he shuffled over to take a seat next to Rose.

"Esme, Carlisle, Emmett," Rose said, getting everyone's attention. "This is my brother, Jasper."

By the time introductions were done, Alice was walking back in. I smothered another laugh when Jasper's eyes followed her every move as she sat down next to Esme.

"Hey!" Emmett snapped his fingers. "Eyes off my sister."

Alice's head whipped in his direction with a scathing glare. "Shut up, Emmett!" Her scowl quickly turned into a smile when she glanced at Jasper again.

Edward chuckled once and shook his head. "Okay, enough of this. You guys can play goo-goo eyes later. We have some things to figure out."

His body tensed next to mine and I bit back a sigh. I wished we could just forget all the problems and have peace for one night, but he was right. There were things which needed to be taken care of immediately.

"What exactly happened at your parents' house?" Rose asked me.

This time I did sigh aloud. I hated having to tell Rose and Jasper about my mother's threats, but I also knew it was better to be prepared. They deserved to know what they may face in the future.

"We might be in for a fight," I told her, glancing between her and Jasper. "I'm hoping I got the message across that there would be retribution if she tried, but Mother threatened to retract our gifts from Grandfather."

I went on to tell them about her hiring a lawyer and mentioning something about my father's power of attorney over the estate. Both of their faces were a mixture of sadness and anger. When neither of them said a word, I wrung my hands nervously in my lap and laid out an alternative.

"You don't have to worry about anything, though. I promise. Even if she did manage to figure out some loophole and take away what he gave us, I'll sell this place and split the money between you two."

Both of their heads snapped up at that, their eyes boring into mine.

"Don't you dare say something like that!" Rose said, her voice full of anger.

It didn't matter to me, though. I liked the condo, but it was more important to me that they were taken care of and I knew my grandfather would feel the same way.

"I don't care about the money," Jasper said, patting Rose's leg to calm her down. "Rose doesn't either. I care more about what's right. About honoring Marcus' wishes and not letting that bitch... uh, sorry... your _mother_ get away with this."

I'd still sell the condo first thing if either of them lost anything because of me. It didn't matter what they said right now.

"I think she was just bluffing. I doubt after I threatened her back she'll actually go through with anything. I'm only telling you so you'll be prepared."

"You really threatened her back?" Rose asked, a bit of pride breaking through her anger.

Emmett slapped his knee. "You should have heard her! It was awesome. She laid into her mom. It was vicious." His words made me cringe even though he said them with a grin. "I didn't know she had it in her, but it's the quiet ones you have to look out for. It's hard to get them mad, but once you do... _boom_." He elbowed Edward in the side. "You better remember that when you fuck up in the future."

Rose and Jasper turned from Emmett to me.

"I... uh... just said I'd hire lawyers myself and told her if she didn't back off, I'd talk and ruin her and the campaign."

Their mouths fell open a little, and it took a minute before Rose stood, walked over, and hugged me.

"You doing that for us means more than any dollar amount."

I squeezed her back, hoping she knew I would always choose her before anyone blood-related to me. _She_ was my family, not them.

"This is just my opinion," Esme broke in as Rose sat back down. "But I think you should do it. Don't stop at words. You should hire some lawyers, because you need someone—or a few someones—to get ahold of that will and make sure your interests and your grandfather's wishes are being seen to."

"She's right," Rose said, looking at me. "Remember at the dinner we went to when he gave us our graduation presents?"

I nodded.

"He said he wanted us to do some good. Use our skills and talents for charitable causes. Now that I think back on it, maybe he was telling us in his own way that he wanted us to continue on with a few of his projects along with our own."

"Yeah, I think you may be right," I said softly, thinking over her words.

Perhaps he was trying to give us a hint that he wouldn't be around much longer.

"Not only that, but he was very clear about his wanting to fund any projects we took up for charities or developing foundations."

They were all right. It wasn't something I had even thought about until now. Having this brought up made me want to see exactly how it was spelled out in the will, and if it differed from what grandfather's intentions had been months ago. My father was an attorney, and I had simply assumed whatever grandfather specified to be meted out would be done honestly.

Now I wasn't sure. I no longer trusted my father as I once had. He was going to have to earn back my trust if he ever wanted it again.

Edward linked his fingers with mine. "If you want, we can use my firm, or I can talk to Paul and see if he has any suggestions for the best firm here."

"I think I'd rather use a firm on the east coast." I bit my lip, my nerves all jumbled. "It needs to be quiet, though. Behind the scenes. I don't want even a hint of any of this hitting the press."

My biggest leverage against my mother was the ability of airing out our dirty laundry in public. I wanted complete secrecy until I had a valid reason to submarine her or my father. The very thought of doing something so drastic made me ill.

But I would do it if I absolutely had to.

"Speaking of keeping things quiet, I've been thinking of something," Jasper said. "I've already talked with Rose, but I had an idea I wanted to bring up with you, Bella." He seemed a little nervous, and Jasper never got nervous.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well, the press has laid off you and your parents the last few days because of Marcus' passing, but that's going to end quickly. They're going to be all over you now since that engagement ring picture is out there. I imagine they'll be camped outside wherever you and Edward are at all times and get in your face at every opportunity." He paused, smoothing out his pants. "The thing is... I don't want to be here anymore. I pretty much hate this city. I was thinking maybe you could tell that Rodney dude to take a hike, since your father hired him anyway, and I could take his place."

I wasn't sure what to say. Jasper's reluctance about remaining in New York made my heart hurt, solely due to the reasons behind it, but I hated the idea of him being some kind of _employee_.

"You have money to do whatever you want to do, though," I said. "You're like my brother and I wouldn't want to cramp your style or anything."

He shook his head. "I can't just relax on a beach or sit around twiddling my thumbs. I'd go nuts. I need to be doing something and this seems like a good fit. If that Rodney douche could do it, I know I can. I can kill people with my bare hands." He held his hands up with a grin, making everyone laugh. "Plus you know me, so it won't be all awkward and shit like it is with a stranger."

I turned toward Edward and he shrugged.

"It sounds like a good idea to me," he said. "He's right about the press. They'll be all over us and I definitely want someone with you at all times." He rubbed my stomach. "Especially now. In fact, maybe it would be best for Em and Jasper both to be on your detail."

_My detail._

I snorted because it sounded so ridiculous in my head. As if I was someone important. I hadn't heard that phrase since it was mentioned in one of the meetings with my father's team of advisors in reference to future secret service protection.

Ugh.

I didn't even want to think about that at the moment and pushed it to the back of my mind.

Edward clutched my hand. "I'm taking it seriously even if you aren't. You haven't been hounded too much yet, but it will happen. Believe me."

I nodded mostly to appease him, even if I thought they were all being paranoid.

"Okay," I told Jasper.

I caught Alice beaming and squirming around out of the corner of my eye. I imagined this turn of events sounded great to her.

"I want to come, too," Rose said. "After all this, I don't think I want to be here any longer. Especially if you both are gone. California is sounding better all the time."

This made Emmett's smile widen.

"So, we're all heading west?" I asked.

"Yep," Rose said with a nod.

"Yeah," Jasper agreed.

The idea of Rose and Jasper together with me as I began this new phase of my life made me happier than ever. Yet the most jubilant face in the room was Esme's.

"Mom looks like she just won the lottery," Emmett said.

She shrugged, her unapologetic smile widening as she leaned into Carlisle. "I kind of feel like we did. We just gained three more kids."

I think I loved her even more.

California, here we come.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

The next day was spent packing boxes and having them shipped to Edward's house before we took our flights west. It would be a couple of weeks before we were officially in L.A., and most of our things were going to arrive before we would.

We still had business to take care of in Vancouver.

Rose and Jasper both decided to join Edward and me during this time while he finished filming. Alice and Emmett went back to California with their parents, but were planning to join the four of us in a few days.

Edward and Jasper had been correct about the paparazzi. They had somehow gotten wind of our flight out of New York and were all over us when we landed in Vancouver. Jane had a car and Edward's guard, Demetri, waiting for us when we exited the terminal, but it was a sea of cameras and lights flashing as airport security helped make a path through the mass of bodies.

"Fuck!" Edward whisper-shouted when we saw the chaos outside the glass doors.

I wasn't sure how they knew we'd be arriving now, but they did. I swallowed a few times, uneasy about the looming crowd we were going to have to wade through.

"Jasper, you take the front," Demetri said, taking charge. "Security should clear some of the way, but just force a path through. Rosalie and Bella will follow and then Edward. I'll be right behind. All of you go as fast as you can and get into the car."

It was then Jasper got his first taste as a "bodyguard" by leading the way and keeping me and Rose sandwiched between him and Edward. Edward was plastered to my backside, one of his arms around my waist and the other trying to keep people out of my face. Rose reached back and I held on to her arm, keeping my head down as much as possible.

The paps were loud, and there was a lot of pushing and shoving, but we got to the car pretty quickly.

"Damn! That was insane!" Rose said once we were all in and had taken off.

"It was a lot of cameras," I agreed. "I didn't know so many paps were even in Vancouver."

Edward shook his head, hugging me to him. "That wasn't all paps. I bet most of those were fans. Too many to be just the vultures."

"How'd they even know we were going to be there?" Jasper asked.

"I'm guessing someone on our flight tweeted it or something and then word spread." Edward brushed my hair back, leaving a trail of kisses along my jaw. "You still want to marry me?"

I turned my face and caught his lips with mine. "Yes. An army of tween fangirls and some flashing cameras aren't going to scare me away. You're stuck with me now."

His lips curved into a smile and I relaxed in his arms for the rest of the drive while we listened to Demetri handing out pointers to Jasper.

The next few days were spent skyping with Rose, Alice and Esme while Edward was at the studio. They were helping me plan my very small, but beautiful wedding which Edward had given me free rein over. At my consent, Esme had hired a wedding consultant to help us coordinate things quickly. We settled on a ceremony at a private resort in Santa Monica which would be held in less than three weeks. It was all happening so fast, but it helped that pesky details like printing formal invitations and adjusting guest lists weren't applicable.

Nobody outside of the Cullens and Whitlocks was going to be invited.

I debated over and over in my head whether I wanted to tell my father, but finally decided it was simply too soon. I wasn't ready to see him if he accepted, and I wasn't ready to hear his refusal if he didn't. He hadn't bothered to call me in the days since the funeral, and I wasn't going to call him first.

He was the one who needed to make the next move, even if it saddened me to have nobody to give me away at my wedding. Instead of focusing on my hurt feelings, I tried to channel them into making it a special experience for Edward and those closest to us.

Once the location was secure, the biggest obstacle left for me was to find a dress. Alice was helping me out on that front, sending me hundreds of different options over texts so that I could whittle it down to a few and pick one once we arrived back in L.A.

Other than wedding planning, Rose and Jasper went out a few times to explore the Vancouver area, but I stayed in our suite. Not only was the hotel surrounded by paps, but I was also experiencing some awful morning sickness.

And afternoon sickness.

And evening sickness.

It was hit and miss, but when it hit, it was awful.

"We need to get you to a doctor," Edward said three days later, finding me sitting on the cool tile of the bathroom floor when he was done with shooting.

Sometimes it was just easier to stay there in between puking sessions.

"How are we going to do that with the cameras lurking out there?"

"We're going to have to sneak out."

He pulled me up, explaining the plan he and his siblings had dreamed up while I brushed my teeth and washed my face. I would have laughed at the ridiculous levels of nonsense we had to go through just to see an obstetrician, but it would be worse for us if this news did get out.

Well, worse for _me_.

And really, that was all Edward seemed to care about. He waved away my claim it could damage his _image_, saying he didn't give a shit. All he cared about was _my_ image, much to the chagrin of his publicity team I was sure.

If it leaked that I was pregnant before marriage, it would literally kill my father in the primaries. Horrific images of Caius in a hooded cloak hunting me down with a scythe kept running through my head.

Alice and Emmett arrived the next morning, and our plan was set in motion.

"Okay, I'm taking off just like I would any other morning, so half of them will follow me to the set," Edward said, giving me a goodbye kiss.

When his face suddenly changed from smiling to terror-stricken, I glanced over to where he was pointing to find Alice waving something long, brown, and hairy in the air.

"What the fuck is that?" Edward yelled. "Is that a squirrel? Did you bring a fucking squirrel into our room?"

Emmett and Jasper doubled over in laughter.

"It's a wig, you moron!" Alice said, shaking her head. "I can't exactly double as Bella with my short hair." She walked over to me, holding up the wig to compare to my hair. "Perfect."

"Oh," Edward muttered. "It still scary-as-fuck looking. You know I don't do wildlife."

Emmett was still laughing so hard he had tears streaming down his face. He kept trying to say something, but it didn't come out right. In the meantime, Alice pulled out another wig—this one blonde—for me to put on.

"Can't I just wear a hat?" I asked, grimacing at the monstrosity Alice was trying to fit on my head.

"We'll put hats on, too, but this is more thorough."

She pushed me into a chair, pulling and tugging to get it on straight.

I glanced at Edward. "What's the deal with you and wildlife?"

He shuddered a little, before Emmett chimed in.

"Edward's like the bizarro Dr. Dolittle or something. Ever since he was a little kid." Emmett almost lost it again, but managed to keep his composure and spit more out. "He thinks he has some curse on him because he ran over Mom's cat with his tricycle when he was three."

Alice rolled her eyes, and I chuckled at Edward, who was glaring at his brother.

"Bizarro Dr. Dolittle?" I asked, wanting more information.

Emmett slapped Edward's shoulder. "This guy was famous in Forks before he hit it big in Hollywood because if there were ever reports of wild animals around, the police always looked at Edward first. He was somehow always in the thick of it."

"The fuckers chase me! It's not my fault!"

Emmett busted out in more laughter, and I bit my lip and stroked Edward's hand. Poor guy.

"What kinds of animals?" I asked.

"Every kind," Alice said. "You name it, he's been chased by it."

"Bears, dogs, goats, raccoons, turkeys, horses..." Emmett broke off, choking down a chuckle. "Alice, remember that time the goose tried to land on his head?"

Alice giggled and backed away a little to check over my wig. "Yes, that was classic. Dad's got a great picture of that honker flapping its wings and Edward screaming and running for his life."

Edward fumed while the rest of us laughed at the mental image.

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. It's all fun and games until one of those assholes gives me rabies or something."

I stood up and wrapped my arms around his waist, tilting my head to kiss his pouting lips. "I'll keep all the wild animals away, including your fans."

He laughed and squeezed me back. He couldn't help it if all species were attracted to him.

"Okay, I'm really leaving this time," he said. "You and Jasper are going to meet me there." He sighed and hugged me tighter. "This is just to check and make sure everything's all right. When we get back to L.A., we'll get you in to see the best baby doctor in the city."

"Quit worrying." I smoothed out the frown lines on his forehead. "Everything will be fine."

We had been consulting with Carlisle about who to see and where. He'd asked around and gotten us an appointment up here—at a smaller hospital on the outskirts of the city—with someone highly recommended, but he was also hooking something up in L.A. for when we returned.

"I just want you to have the best."

He could be so sweet when he wanted to be.

After another minute or two of goodbyes, he and Demetri left followed ten minutes later by Emmett, Rose, and Alice disguised as me. They were off for some shopping, hoping to lure the remaining paps into following them.

Jasper and I fiddled around for another fifteen minutes before we got the all clear text.

"Let's go," he said.

I straightened my wig and hat one last time, rolling my eyes at myself in the mirror. Jasper and I got downstairs and into a waiting car quickly and without any fanfare. Both of us scanned our surroundings as we drove off, but didn't see anybody following us.

Our plan seemed to have worked so far.

We drove about an hour away, pulling into a smaller medical clinic and hurrying inside. Edward was waiting there, his hat sitting low on his head as he hunched over in a seat in the corner. He popped up as soon as he saw us, walking over to give me a kiss and take my hand.

"They're going to get us right in," he said.

I nodded and followed him, Jasper taking a seat to wait while I was checked out.

"Did Simon have any issues with you doing this today?" I asked.

"No, he's cool. I only have one shot today and it should only take an hour or two when I go back."

It was great his director was flexible and willing to work with Edward's requests.

A bubbly nurse greeted us and took us back, referring to us as Mr. and Mrs. Simpson. I didn't know how Edward was pulling off this act, but figured it likely involved a large amount of cash. I wasn't going to ask a lot of questions.

I went through being weighed, my blood pressure taken, blood drawn and changed into a gown. She inquired about a lot of my history, mostly revolving around any medications, the date of my last period, and my birth control methods. Edward fidgeted nervously, sitting down next to me once I was settled on the exam table and holding my hand. Finally, a doctor walked in, smiling at us both.

"Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, it's nice to meet you." He shook our hands and looked down at his chart. "So, you're only in town for a visit?"

"Yes," Edward said. "We're leaving in a couple of weeks, but Sarah hasn't been feeling well and we wanted to see someone as soon as possible."

It was weird hearing him call me Sarah, especially when it rolled off his tongue so easily. He was definitely gifted at playing the part. I was afraid I was going to blurt out something to give us away, so I kept my mouth shut.

"First off, the pregnancy test was positive," he glanced up, finding our smiles. "Congratulations." He put his chart down and moved to my other side, using his stethoscope to listen to my heart. "You've been experiencing a lot of nausea?"

"Yes," I said with a nod.

"From your symptoms and the length of time since your last regular menstruation, I'm relatively certain you're somewhere between six and nine weeks along. I'd like to go ahead and do a pelvic exam and an ultrasound now, so we can give you a closer estimate as to the age of the fetus, but this procedure will likely be repeated at your first visit to your primary obstetrician."

Edward and I both nodded. I squeezed his hand when the doctor started poking around at my lady parts. Thankfully, he wasn't down there too long before he hooked up the sonogram machine and squirted some cold gel on my stomach.

"Here's the heartbeat," he said, pointing out the baby on screen for us. "And it looks like you're about nine weeks along."

I couldn't believe it. I was over two months pregnant already.

I was happy and anxious at the same time. We were pregnant and the doctor said everything looked normal, but by the time Edward and I were actually married, I was going to be at the end of my first trimester.

There would be no doubt of my being pregnant before marriage now. There was no fudging of a three month window.

I tried to block out the harsh words I knew were coming from my mother if and when she found out about this. Trash. Slut. Loose. Whore. They kept whirling in my mind even though I tried to concentrate on the doctor's words and the giddy expression on Edward's face.

It was so difficult to suppress a lifetime of her influence on my thinking and behavior.

The doctor ended the ultrasound and left us alone, giving me time to get dressed before he came back. I shimmied back into my clothes, trying to avoid disrupting my fake hair.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked when I sat back down. "You don't seem very happy."

I hated myself for putting the worried frown on his face. Damn my mother!

"I'm fine. I promise." I squeezed his hand and gave him my best smile.

He didn't seem to believe me, but the doctor returned before the interrogation could continue. He handed us a few photos of our baby.

"You're at around nine weeks, just as I thought," he said, handing me a packet of information and boxes of pills. "There is plenty of information you can read through now, so that you'll be ready with any questions and concerns once you see your OB at home. Also, I'm giving you some prenatal vitamins to start taking. As for your morning sickness, I want you to avoid any other medications if possible and there are plenty of tips here for you." He pointed out a specific sheet of paper. "What you've been going through is completely normal, however if it gets any worse, come back and see me. Just try to rest, keep drinking as many fluids as possible, and eat a few crackers when you first wake up. Those really seem to help, along with several small meals throughout the day instead of two or three large ones."

We thanked the doctor profusely after he was finished with all of his explanations, and Edward took care of the payment before we joined Jasper back out in the lobby.

"Are you really okay?" Edward asked me again as we were walking out.

I squeezed his hand. "Yes. It's just a lot to take in. I'm happy, though."

I was going to play the role of happy mother-and-wife-to-be as if my life depended on it, because I would be damned if my mother was going to ruin it for both of us. I didn't want to tarnish any of this experience for Edward, even if it might take me a while to get my mind completely right. In the meantime, I was going to fake it until I made it.

"Do you want to come to the set with me or go back to the hotel?"

"I..." My voice broke off when I glanced across the parking lot.

I could have sworn I saw Alec driving away. That was impossible, though. No way would he or could he be here right now. My parents were in D.C. at the moment, and Alec was supposed to be with them.

I shook my head and turned back to Edward. "If you're only going to be an hour or two, I'll just go back to the hotel. I want to get this silly wig off my head and take a shower."

He hugged me and kissed my temple. "Okay. Take a nap, too. Paul's flying in as we speak. He and Jane will be coming by for our meeting tonight."

Ah, yes. The big meeting where they learn not only are they taking care of Edward's career, but now I was included in the mix.

It was all part of the Edward Cullen Take Charge program.

They were just going to love the crazy surrounding me and the baggage of dealing with The Senator's team of assholes.

"You still want to marry me?"

I grinned and chuckled at him, staring up at his smirking face.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

* * *

**AN: Do you like bodyguard Jasper? Will Bella end up having anyone to give her away? Does she even need it? **

**Anybody else want to see Edward being chased by a goose? ;) **

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**Troika by Mortissues**

**Never Said I Didn't by purelyamuse **

**California Dreamin' by chocaholic123**

**Hooked Up and Locked Down by LayAtHomeMom**


	22. Chapter 22 The Business Side

**Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Vampshavelaws, iambeagle, and Stephanie for all of their help pre-reading/betaing for me. I have so much love for these ladies. I tinker with my docs until right before posting, and any errors you see are mine.**

* * *

**The Business Side**

Jasper and I arrived back at the hotel, and I took a shower to wash away the ickiness from the doctor's visit before following Edward's advice and lying down for a nap. It seemed like no time at all before I woke up to roaming hands and a low, lusty voice in my ear.

"Do you have any idea how sexy you are?"

Sometimes it still blew my mind that the hottest man in the world—I was pretty sure he even had a couple magazine covers confirming this—was so attracted to me and actually thought _I_ was sexy.

_Me_.

Boring, uptight, and currently rumpled Isabella Swan—clad only in panties and one of his plain white T-shirts—had Edward Cullen panting in her ear. It was something I never could have dreamed up a year ago, but now wanted to take full advantage of.

I opened one eye, seeing a head full of dark, messy hair as he moved his way down my body, kissing my stomach and gently pulling my panties down my legs. I brushed my fingers through his soft hair and he moaned against my skin.

"Fuck, you smell good."

I laughed, wiggling from the teasing touches of his tongue. "Did you have that kissing scene today?"

I knew he was doing some final shoots with his co-star, Tanya, these last few days, and I wondered if that was why he was all horny the moment he got back to me. He had thoroughly explained to me how mechanical and unromantic sex scenes of any kind were on a movie set, but I couldn't help the twinge of jealousy I felt about him having his lips—or any other body part—on another woman.

He mumbled something incoherent before burying his face in my lady parts and making me forget I'd asked him a question. It was always easy to forget everything else during sex with Edward, but today he seemed even more driven than usual.

I had barely come down from my first orgasm when he was bringing on my second.

With me feeling off the last few days, we hadn't been intimate since the bathroom pregnancy test rendezvous in New York. Apparently, he needed to make up for lost time.

After his oral attention, he pounced on me like a cat, pinning me to the bed under his weight and driving into me hard and deep... over and over and over. His whispered naughty words in my ear and forceful thrusts had me seeing stars for the third time before he came too. He finally collapsed next to me, sweaty and out of breath, pulling my limp body to rest on top of his.

He gave me a light smack on my butt. "Damn, that was good."

I nuzzled my face in his neck. "Yes, it was. Best wake up call ever. I'm surprised Rose or someone else didn't interrupt us in the middle."

"I told all those cockblocking fuckers to get out before I came in here."

I laughed, rubbing my hand on his chest over his racing heart. "When are Paul and Jane going to be here?"

"They're here already. In their rooms. I told them I'd call when we were ready for them to come up."

I nodded and sighed, wishing we could just spend the rest of the evening alone in bed together, but knowing we couldn't.

He squeezed me. "It'll be okay. The wrap party is set for one week from today and then we're going to have a lot more time for just the two of us."

"How do you always know what I'm thinking?"

"I'm gifted that way."

I propped myself up on my elbow, staring down at his smirking face. "I hope our child doesn't inherit your planetary-sized ego."

"Whatever. You love my huge... _ego_." His eyes went straight to my breasts. "Come here." He lifted me to straddle his waist, wrapping his arms around my back to pull me close enough so his face was nestled between them.

"You're going to smother yourself."

"I'd happily die for these tits."

I rested my cheek on top of his head, smiling from the way he always made me feel so wanted and desired. I'd never felt anything like it before him. It was a gift he gave me everyday without really even knowing he was doing it, and it meant more than any material possession ever could.

We spent another thirty minutes snuggling and wrapped up in each other before forcing ourselves to get up, shower, and call Jane and Paul. Edward ordered a bunch of room service for everyone, and our food arrived around the same time as our guests.

Jane kissed my cheek and Paul shook my hand, introducing himself before we sat down at the dining table. Edward mumbled a hello, but was too busy piling food on a plate for a proper greeting. He set the mountain of food in front of me.

"Eat that. I got all of your favorites."

I sent him a smile for making the effort before shaking my head at the feast before me. There was steak, au gratin potatoes, some kind of alfredo pasta, roasted chicken, half of a grilled cheese sandwich, spinach salad, and pineapple slices. I wasn't even sure where to start.

I glanced over at Jane and Paul, who were both watching the two of us with curious expressions. "Please help yourselves. There's more than enough here for everyone."

Edward kissed the top of my head and flopped down in the chair next to me after fixing his own plate. "Thanks for coming up here," he said, munching on an asparagus spear.

"It was no problem at all," Paul answered. "You said it was important."

Edward nodded. "It is." He waved another spear between the two of us and grinned. "We're getting married and Bella is now going to be under your representation, too."

I sipped my tea and sent them a sheepish smile. They were going to have their work cut out for them with me.

Paul pursed his lips. "Yes, we knew about the engagement. Congratulations, by the way." He took a drink of water. "In fact, we're being bombarded with interview requests from everyone regarding the engagement. Are you telling me you've set a date?"

"Yep. In about two weeks. September 7th."

I nibbled on my grilled cheese while Paul and Jane took a moment to let that tidbit sink in. It was really good. My baby seemed to like Swiss cheese.

"Whirlwind marriage!" Jane said, patting her heart. "It's so romantic." She got up out of her chair and scrambled over to kiss my cheek again. Then she hugged Edward. "Congratulations again."

Paul was a little less enthused, his smile cautious as his gaze darted between Edward and me. "Is there something else we need to know?"

Edward reached over and grabbed my hand, and I tried to stay calm and not hyperventilate. We were about to put a lot of trust in them.

Edward stared at Paul. "First, do we have an agreement that Bella is now under your representation, even without having signed a contract yet? This will include all publicity, business, and financial matters, with consultation on legal matters."

Paul nodded. "Of course. I'm honored you'd ask. We'd love to bring her on as a client."

"So everything said tonight will be held under the contractual terms of confidentiality?"

"Yes," Paul answered.

Edward smiled at me once more before turning back to them. "Okay. Bella's pregnant. We're both very happy, but we're also in a bit of delicate situation here. I asked her to marry me, and we agreed to get married, well before we found out about the baby. But, her father being who he is, we know how it would look if people found out about the pregnancy. We need to control this story as long as possible and keep it from leaking to the media."

Paul let out a long breath and Jane seemed to be in her own little world. Edward leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"That's what she does when she's thinking hard."

I giggled and swatted his arm.

Paul turned to me first. "I have to ask, is there a particular reason you aren't going to work with your father's PR team anymore? What I mean is, should I expect any conflict with his people?"

I peeked at Edward and he nodded, urging me to tell them. Even though Paul had confirmed confidentiality, it still made me nervous to talk about my family like this. As much as I shouldn't have felt I was betraying them, I still did.

I took a deep breath and faced Paul again. "My parents aren't happy with my choices, particularly my being with Edward. Before I met Edward, I was expected to marry the son of one of my father's biggest supporters. Since that fell apart, there's been friction in my family. It came to a head after my grandfather's funeral, where my mother threatened to take away my inheritance along with the inheritances of my two best friends given to us by my grandfather. At this point, I just want to sever all financial ties with them and to protect what's rightfully ours."

He nodded. "And what of the campaign? How are you wanting to deal with questions regarding your involvement and support?"

"Until my father makes an effort to reconcile, I will have nothing to do with the campaign."

"I think a _no comment_ on all things campaign-related would be the best course of action on that."

"Okay." I sipped my tea again. "I really don't want to talk to a bunch of press if I don't have to. I tend to... ah... get awkward when I'm surrounded."

Edward chuckled and squeezed my hand.

Jane cleared her throat. "As far as the baby issue goes, I think the best thing to do is to get as many photos as possible of you and Edward together right now. Before you start showing. You don't have to talk to them, just be seen by them. Go out on dates. Get out in public. Give the paparazzi every opportunity to flash their cameras at the two of you together and affectionate. We're going to have to release news of the marriage as soon as you say _I do_, and if you want to avoid the media suspicions of it being a shotgun wedding, they need to see proof of you two in love." She met my eyes and then Edward's with a smile. "That won't be hard. It's easy to see when you two are next to each other."

"Once Bella starts showing it will get trickier," Paul said. "Yes, you'll be married at that point so it will lessen any blow to either of you image-wise, but I imagine questions will be fired at your father." He tapped his fingers on the table. "Let's see, how far along are you now?"

I gulped. "Nine weeks."

"So you're going to be due around late March or early April?"

"Yes."

He whistled. "I don't know a lot about politics, but that's going to be somewhere in the thick of the primaries, right?"

I nodded again. "Yes. Super Tuesday is in early March."

Edward was clenching my hand almost to the point of being painful and I looked over to find his angry expression.

"I just want this to be fucking clear," he said. "I _detest_ that planning PR around our wedding and child is going to be regarded by anyone as damage control. I know we need to do it, but this _isn't_ for her father. This is for Bella. That's all I care about. I hate that she feels guilty about how our lives could harm his career, so I will do whatever is necessary to keep from being tagged in some media-contrived scandal. Personally, I don't give two shits about him or her mother. They can both go fuck themselves."

"Understood," Paul said, appearing to hold back a smile.

I imagined they were used to Edward's language and outbursts.

Jane frowned. "I hope you don't take any of my suggestions as some kind of judgment from my end. I couldn't be happier for you both. I only want to come up with the best possible plan for avoiding the appearance you're getting married _because_ of the baby."

Edward sighed and shook his head. "I'm not upset with you. I'm upset there are people out there who would use this against Bella. That's it."

My stomach twisted. "I'm sorry." I hated that he felt he had to do all this for me.

He brought my hand up to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. "It's not your fault. Are you sure you still want to marry me?"

I laughed. "Yes. How about you? Do _you_ still want to marry _me_?"

"More than anything."

I leaned over and met him halfway for a kiss. Then he pointed back to my plate and told me to eat.

Did he think I was carrying ten babies? There was no way I could eat all that food.

Paul chuckled at the two of us. "So we agree on the media strategy to start? A blitz of pictures of you two out together?"

Edward and I both nodded.

"But we're taking a honeymoon somewhere private," Edward added. "Give me at least a week alone with her. We've earned that damn week of privacy."

They agreed to the week.

"We also need you to recommend a law firm in New York," Edward continued. "I want the best firm we can get to make sure Bella's grandfather's estate goes to the right people and charities and not somehow funneled to her father's campaign war chest."

I winced at the insinuation, but I couldn't exactly tell him he was way off base. I simply didn't know. "I need someone I can trust to be completely discreet."

Paul clasped his hands together. "I can reach out to Jason Jenks. He's a partner in one of the best firms in New York, and he's handled several of my clients' cases. You can trust him."

Edward squeezed my hand. "Does that sound good?"

"Yes. If he's reliable and quiet, that's fine with me."

"Okay, let's go with him," Edward said, turning back to Paul. "That needs to be taken care of as soon as possible."

Jane scribbled on her notepad. "Bella, before I leave, I'm going to need all of your contact information. As far as the financial situation goes—"

"All of this will be billed to me," Edward said. "When Bella's inheritance situation is taken care of, we'll have Eric and his team take care of the funds.

Jane nodded and kept writing. "Are there any accounts you want transferred to L.A. at this time?"

I bit my lip. "Well, there's my inheritance which my grandfather gave me as a graduation gift. It's sitting in an account set up through his people. I haven't touched it yet, and I'm not sure if my mother or father have tried to access it. My parents have always handled my finances in the past. I have certain accounts which I can use, but I've never really been a huge spender. The condo was given to me when I started Columbia, and everything else bill-wise was always just taken care of."

I felt so useless as I told them all of this. I was a twenty-two year old woman, and I didn't have the first clue about balancing a checkbook or budgets or paying bills. Money was never something I'd had to think about before.

"Are you planning to continue use of these accounts?"

I glanced at Edward and shrugged. I didn't know.

"You don't need to," he said. "Cut up all your cards and mail them to your mom if you want. You don't need their money."

"Maybe I should go ahead and try to sell the condo now?" I offered. "I don't want you to think you have to support me."

"I don't _have_ to. I _want_ to. You're my wife... _basically_... and carrying our child. I told you I'm taking care of you. You can sell the condo if you want, but only if you want. You don't need to. I think before you make that decision, you should wait to see what happens with your inheritance."

What he said made a lot of sense, plus I loved him for wanting to take care of me. I wanted to swoon and get him back in the bedroom at the same time.

"Okay, I'll wait until we know for sure."

Jane looked at Edward. "That means for now she'll need access to some of your accounts."

He nodded. "I'll take care of it."

She smiled. "I'll get in touch with Eric and get the paperwork ready for you. I'll have it there when you return to L.A."

"We're also going to need to set Bella up with some security," Paul said. "I know you two have been hounded up here but it'll be even worse in California. We want you to be seen, but not to be cornered."

"I have Jasper," I said.

Edward let out a short laugh. "You guys will love Jasper. He and his sister, Rosalie, are the two best friends Bella referred to before, who were like family to her grandfather. Anyway, Jasper is ex-military and doesn't mind getting rough. He asked for the job and he's been great at it so far."

Paul nodded. "Sounds good. I'd like to meet him and maybe look into a couple more guys if that's okay. One person can't do it all everyday."

"I'm pretty boring, though. It's not like I'm a party animal going out every night."

Paul and Jane both laughed.

"You still need people around you right now," Paul said. "Around both of you. Edward I'm sure can give you plenty of stories about being under fire, and now you both are going to be targets of not only the entertainment media, but also the political world. The frenzy will wear off some after a year or two, but in the meantime, you need to be prepared."

"Especially since we _want_ you both to be out and about," Jane added, glancing down at her papers. "Promo should be fun for you this year."

Edward snorted. "At least I'll have Bella with me."

She lifted her head and nodded. "That's what I meant. This will be the first time you're going through this as a couple. You have _Deadly Night_ promo throughout October, then _Shade_ promo in late November and early December." She paused, a look of hesitation flashing in her eyes. "I hate to bring this up now, but I probably should."

"Go ahead," Edward said.

"Recently, there's been rumors floating around the blogs and internet about you and Kate still being together. I'm not sure where they're coming from. I hate to accuse her people of doing it if they aren't, but her popularity has waned since you and Bella came out. I imagine the rumors will ramp up even more as _Shade_ promo time approaches."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I'll be so fucking happy when _Shade_ is done."

Jane nodded. "I know. Anyway, it's nothing to worry about. I only wanted you and Bella to be aware. The bigger news is that we're almost sure you're going to get Globe and Oscar nominations for _Deadly Night_."

My stomach flipped and I squeezed his hand. "Wow, that's great! That's the Mafia movie you were telling me about?"

He smiled at me and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah."

"It's really exciting," Jane added. "The Globe nominations will come out in December and the Oscar nominations in January. That's another reason why Kate's people or the studio might try putting out hints of links between you two. There will be a lot of clinging and hanging on when you're up for these awards."

"I've been through it before."

She gave him a sad smile, and I wondered what it meant.

After supplying Jane all of my contact info, and another round of congratulations from both of them, they went back to their rooms. It was scary to put so much faith and trust in them, but Edward believed in them and it felt right to me. It felt like I was finally taking charge of my life—with a lot of help from Edward—and carving a path outside of the shadow of my parents.

~~~*~~~CMC~~~*~~~

Six days later—the night before Edward's wrap party and two days before we were to leave Vancouver and head for our L.A. home—Jasper, Alice, and I were watching a movie, waiting for Edward to get back from the set. We had been following Jane and Paul's advice, going out to dinner every night and making sure the press had lots of pictures of us holding hands, hugging, and having a good time.

And after a while, it became easier to ignore the cameras lurking. If I concentrated on Edward's face, his touch, his voice, I was able to pretend we were a normal couple and nobody cared what we wore or what we ate or what each of our movements meant when analyzed by fans or pundits.

A loud knock on the suite door made me jump, and I raised my eyebrow at Jasper. It wasn't very often when we got unexpected company.

Well, we _never_ did.

"I'll get it," he said, standing up and moving toward the door.

I followed, standing behind him.

He peeked through the peep-hole. "_Fuck_."

"What? Who is it?"

His head whipped around toward me, his eyes worried. "Code Black."

* * *

**AN: A lot of business talk in this chapter, but they had to get their priorities in order. Anybody know who it is at the door?**

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, and letting me know your thoughts. I read and enjoy every single one.**

**Find me on facebook at Twilover Seven-six or on twitter at twilover76**

**Fic Recs:**

**In Pursuit by Sarge's Girls (Drotuno and JenRar)**

**Holding On and Letting Go by Jenny0719**

**Also, there are a couple of contests going on that I'm involved with. You should check out the entries already posted and send us your own stories! Find me on facebook or twitter if you have any questions!**

**Dirty Talkin' Edward contest - Twitter: dirtytalkedward**

**TLS Angst Contest – Twitter: TLSAngstContest**


End file.
